Marlborough Issues Mandatory Water Restriction

Joining numerous Massachusetts cities and towns, including neighboring Westborough, Marlborough, too, is instituting a mandatory water restriction, the result of a lengthy period of dry weather.

City of Marlborough Commissioner of Public Works, John L. Ghiloni, announced that effective Monday, May 25, all non-essential outdoor water uses are prohibited until further notice.

The restrictions on non-essential outdoor water uses are a condition of the city’s state-issued Water Management Act permit from MassDEP and the Streamflow Triggered Restrictions therein, said the announcement. A description of non-essential water uses subject to mandatory restrictions as well as permitted uses is provided below.

Non-essential outdoor water uses that are subject to mandatory restrictions include:

• Irrigation of lawns via sprinklers or automatic irrigation systems

• Washing of vehicles, except in a commercial car wash or as necessary for operator safety

• Washing of exterior building surfaces, parking lots, driveways or sidewalks, except as necessary to apply surface treatments such as paint, preservatives, stucco, pavement or cement.

The following outdoor water uses are permitted during periods of mandatory restrictions:

• Irrigation to establish a new lawn and new plantings

• Irrigation of public parks and recreational fields by means of automatic sprinklers before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m.

• Irrigation of lawns, gardens, flowers and ornamental plants by means of a handheld hose.

Outdoor water uses NOT subject to mandatory restrictions are those required:

• For health or safety reasons

• By regulation; • For the production of food and fiber

• For the maintenance of livestock

• To meet the core functions of a business (for example, irrigation by golf courses as necessary to maintain tees, greens, and limited fairway watering, or irrigation by plant nurseries as necessary to maintain stock).