Don't Water Your Lawn: Emergency Water Shortage Alert From Sudbury Officials

SUDBURY, MA—While we may be getting some more rain this weekend, the restrictions on water have gotten stricter in many communities. The Board of Water Commissioners of the Sudbury Water District implemented on Aug. 11 new emergency water use restrictions in order to protect the water supply.

These restrictions are in addition to, and supersede, the prior restrictions that have been in effect since May, said the announcement. These restrictions will remain in effect until Sept. 30, 2016, or until rescinded.

"Our aquifer groundwater elevations are lower than we have seen in many years, and those lowered elevations reduce our pumping capacities noticeably," said the announcement. "We therefore have decreased ability to supply high quality potable water and adequate firefighting flows, and continued use without significant rainfall to recharge the aquifer will further reduce our pumping capacity as aquifer elevations get even lower. Furthermore, following four continuous months of exceptionally dry weather, the Commonwealth Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has declared a Drought Watch for Central and Northeastern Massachusetts. This significant step is an escalation from the drought advisory that has been in effect. Consequently, our reduced ability to deliver water to our customers, combined with the Commonwealth’s declaration, have led to the District’s decision to implement these more drastic restrictions."

The following outdoor uses are now banned under the new restrictions:

• Lawn watering: All lawn watering including new lawns is banned. This includes use of automatic or manual lawn sprinklers or sprinkler systems and all hand-held watering.
• Water for swimming pools: All filling and topping off of swimming pools (by more than two inches) are banned.
• Games or toys using a continuous stream of water: This includes water slides and sprinklers.

The allowed outdoor uses are as follows, with specific provisions as noted:

• Vegetable or flower gardens: The use of hand-held devices is allowed for watering vegetable or flower gardens, shrubbery and trees. However, this watering must follow the existing daily/weekly schedule outlined below.
• Children’s wading pools: The usage of children’s wading pools is allowed but only to fill the pools.
• Limited topping off of swimming pools: Topping off of an existing pool is allowed, provided that (no more than two inches) of water elevation is added.

• PRECINCT 1, 1A: OUTDOOR HAND-HELD WATER USE IS ALLOWABLE → MONDAY → BEFORE 9 AM OR AFTER 5PM
• PRECINCT 2: OUTDOOR HAND-HELD WATER USE IS ALLOWABLE → TUESDAY → BEFORE 9 AM OR AFTER 5 PM
• PRECINCT 3: OUTDOOR HAND HELD WATER USE IS ALLOWABLE → WEDNESDAY → BEFORE 9 AM OR AFTER 5 PM
• PRECINCT 4: OUTDOOR HAND HELD WATER USE IS ALLOWABLE → THURSDAY → BEFORE 9 AM OR AFTER 5 PM
• PRECINCT 5: OUTDOOR HAND HELD WATER USE IS ALLOWABLE → FRIDAY → BEFORE 9 AM OR AFTER 5 PM

FIND YOUR PRECINCT NO BY STREET NAME→