Even with this week’s rain, we are still seeing drying trends across the state. While our region is not currently experiencing drought, it is important to conserve water now to avoid further shortages in the coming months. When the state declares drought, it’s based on multiple conditions that build-up over time. The goal is to act early so those conditions don’t eventually reach drought levels.
Back in April, we issued our earliest call for water conservation due to low groundwater levels and the need to ensure adequate supply through spring and summer. We recommended steps like checking for leaks and tracking daily water usage but residents are not solely responsible for water conservation – our cities and towns play a key role, too.
Most towns in our watershed implement seasonal outdoor watering bans, limiting the use of in-ground irrigation systems to one day per week. Scituate’s water rebate program for washing machines, dish washers and toilets has been so successful that they just extended the program for the third year in a row. Through their affiliation with the Weir River Water System, Hingham, Hull and North Cohasset have implemented a Water Balance Program to offset increased demand that results from new development and expanded water use projects. These initiatives work all year long to maintain balance in these water system.
The state also contributes to water conservation efforts, through the policies created and implemented by the Water Resources Commission, as well as the Massachusetts Water Conservation Toolkit and other online resources related specifically to drought.