Nonessential water use limited to once a week

On Monday, June 22, 2020, the Board of Selectmen, following a recommendation from the Board of Water and Sewerage, announced that Medfield is now subject to a Tier 3 Water Restriction. This restriction goes into effect immediately and will remain in effect until further notice.

A Tier 3 water restriction limits nonessential water use to once per week. Even numbered houses are allowed nonessential water use on Mondays. Odd numbered houses are allowed nonessential water use on Thursdays.

Examples of nonessential outdoor water uses that are limited to once per week include but are not limited to:

• Uses that are not required for health or safety reasons
• Irrigation of lawns via sprinklers or automatic irrigation systems
• Washing of vehicles other than by means of a commercial car wash, except as necessary for operator safety
• Washing of exterior building surfaces, parking lots, driveways or sidewalks, except as necessary to apply paint, preservatives, stucco, pavement or cement

Example of an acceptable outdoor water use that is not affected:

• Irrigation of lawns, gardens, flowers, and ornamental plants via hand held hoses only

Please note that allowed uses, or nonessential water use on the assigned day, is not permitted between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm, when evaporation and evapotranspiration are highest.

This water restriction was put into place due to the extended dry spell. In addition, daily water usage has continued to increase, despite the Tier 2 water restriction that limited water use to every other day. The Town’s water pumps are running significantly more hours per day than is typical, increasing the risk of mechanical issues. In addition, water levels in the Town’s storage tanks have declined.

The Town’s Water Rules and Regulations include additional information on water restrictions and can be found at this link. MassDEP maintains a list of all communities with water restrictions in place.

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 plant nurseries as necessary to maintain stock).

Thank you for adhering to this new water restriction and working together to reduce our water consumption.

Questions about the water restriction can be directed to Director of Public Works Maurice Goulet at 508-906-3002 or mgoulet@medfield.net.