Dedham-Westwood Water District to Implement New Water Restrictions;

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 4/1/25

Dedham-Westwood Water District to Implement New Water Restrictions;
Level 2 – Mandatory Water Restrictions to Take Effect on Monday, April 28, No Outdoor Watering Allowed

Dedham, MA—Effective Monday, April 28, the Dedham-Westwood Water District will implement new water restrictions, beginning with Level 2, per the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP), Water Management Act Program.

Level 2 is mandatory, unless otherwise declared by the Commonwealth. No outdoor watering will be permitted, except by hand-held hose.

According to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), much of the Commonwealth has been experiencing drought conditions since October 2024.

“This year’s water restrictions are more stringent than what the residents of Dedham and Westwood are used to complying with,” said Executive Director Blake Lukis. “Previously, the District implemented its own water restriction levels, and unfortunately, we no longer have the option to do that. Restriction levels 1-3 originate from new Water Management Regulations stipulated in the District’s Water Withdrawal Registration Statements from MassDEP.”

For drought management purposes, Dedham and Westwood are located in the Southeast Region of the Commonwealth. Per the District’s Water Withdrawal Registration Statement, all drought declarations made by the EEA/Drought Management Task Force for our region must be adhered to.

The District will give two presentations about the changes to water restrictions on:

• Monday, April 7, at the Town of Westwood Select Board Meeting, 6 p.m., on Zoom
• Wednesday, April 9, at the Town of Dedham Select Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m., in person at the Town Hall, 450 Washington Street, Dedham, or Zoom

Customers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the new restriction levels. If/when the EEA declares a drought status level change, the District will formally announce specific requirements on our website, Facebook, X/Twitter, and Instagram.

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