Mandatory Water Restriction Issued in Peabody

Mayor Ed Bettencourt has declared a mandatory water restriction starting Tuesday.

The City posted:

This emergency is the result of a prolonged drought. The high water usage causes the low water
pressure in some neighborhoods throughout the city. The City’s drinking reservoirs are lower than an
average year. The City is currently working with MWRA to have a temporary emergency connection through
the Lynnfield Water District. This connection will provide extra potable water to the City.

This water emergency measures consists of a Phase II – Mandatory Water Restriction -- Requesting residents
to conserve water by watering your lawns every other day as listed below:
• Via sprinklers or by hose (both in-ground and above-ground systems).
ƒ

Odd # houses Monday-Wednesday-Friday Only
ƒ 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

ƒ Even # houses Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday Only
• Hand Water by pail or water can is allowed at any time. Hoses may only be used during scheduled
water times.
• Cars may only be washed during scheduled watering times.
• No Sunday watering allowed.
• No flushing of fire hydrants.

If the precipitation does not improve, and usage does not decrease, we may have to go to Phase III -
Mandatory Water Ban. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Vast quantities of water are used for watering lawns and gardens during the warm weather months, putting
additional stress on water supplies. Summer is the most important time for us to be conscious of how we use
water in our day-to-day activities. Visit http://www.mass.gov/dep for more information about conserving
water on a daily basis.

Lawns should only be watered when necessary, early morning if possible. Lawns only require one (1) inch of
water per week. Using a rain gauge will help you determine if your lawn needs more water. Frequent light
watering can weaken the lawn, encouraging shallow roots that are less tolerant of dry periods. Other ways to
conserve water and keep your lawn looking its best include: keeping mower blades sharp to prevent tearing of
grass, raising the blade to 2 ½ inches as longer grass provides shade for the roots and helps to reduce water
loss, decreasing the size of the lawn by creating pebbled areas, planting drought resistant ground covers,
planting ornamental plants that can withstand periods with low water, mulching to provide a ground cover
that reduces water evaporation from the soil while reducing the number of weeds that compete for soil
moisture.

All automatic lawn sprinkler systems have a rain shut off device installed as a water demand reduction
measure. Sewer use credit will not be allowed until the installation of this device is verified.