Peabody Lifts Outdoor Water Ban As Treatment Plant Goes Online

PEABODY, MA — A temporary outdoor water ban in Peabody was lifted Wednesday after Mayor Ted Bettencourt said the Winona Water Treatment Plant returned online.

Bettencourt said the ban was lifted immediately after the state approved the treatment plant for operation.

"I calling with good news," the mayor said in a robocall to residents. "I greatly appreciate your attention and cooperation. Thank you."

Bettencourt issued the outdoor water ban a week ago amid low tank levels as the city awaited the state Department of Environmental Protection's approval to bring the treatment plant back online.

Increased outdoor water use had put a strain on water levels after the weather had turned more springlike and summerlike the previous weekend.

Bettencourt told residents in a robocall at the time that the hope was the ban was anticipated to be temporary.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)