DEP to initiate water restrictions

By Priscilla Yeon/ Staff Writer

Thursday, October 28, 2004

Next summer, residents may have to let their lawns turn brown because of new water restrictions. Due to the medium stressed Neponset River and Charles Rive basins, the Department of Environmental Protection, or DEP, revised the town's Water Management Act permit and made several changes to reduce the amount of water used in households.

Town officials expressed concerns regarding the DEP proposal, especially because it is restricting the town's residential per capita water use from nearly 100 gallons per day to 65.

As the consumption of water during the summer is significantly higher than the winter, the DEP is asking the town to impose a summer withdrawal cap, from May to September, asking that the daily volume go from an average of 1.7 million gallons per day to 1.51 million gallons per day.

"If in any year, starting in 2005,the town fails to comply with the summer cap and or residential per capita water use, the town shall develop and implement an enhanced water conservation plan for the following calendar year," the report stated. The town will be subjected to provide the annual statistical report and documentation on all actions taken by the town to develop and implement such plan.

Town officials didn't welcome the report's suggestions at the last Board of Selectmen's meeting. According to Superintendent of Public Works Ken Feeney, the DEP's report contradicts itself because it restricts residents from watering their lawn while allowing the watering of golf courses during severe dry weather.

Also, the DEP is requiring the town to issue mandatory water restrictions depending upon the stream flow level.

The most soft restrictions would include limiting the hours for outside watering. If the water level runs significantly low, then the town should impose a total town water ban for non essential outside use.

"The whole thing is absurd," said Town Administrator Michael Sullivan, adding the town puts back twice as much water as it takes from the Charles River because of the waste water treatment plant.

If the town needs to start controlling the amount of water residents can use, Sullivan said the town "will be the big brothers of the residents," while the DEP would be the big brothers of the town.

According to Nigel Pickering, senior environmental engineer of the Charles River Watershed Association, the policy is effective from a river perspective. "But there's still room for improvements."

If the town exceeds the authorized volume by 2006, it will need to implement a water bank, which provides at least two gallons of water for every additional gallon of water demand.

"To avoid this requirement, the town should work to keep its withdrawal within its total authorized volume," it stated

Although the DEP authorizes Medfield to withdraw 1.46 millions of gallons per day on average, the town's summer average has gone as high as 1.9 millions of gallons per day, said Pickering.

Residents will have to adjust to the new restrictions in the summer, he added.

"I think it will be an initial shock," said Pickering. "But I think if the town encourages people to adapt ... what the DEP is proposing is quite achievable."

The summer cap represents a 13 percent of water saving, he added, which is most critical in August and September.

Mentioning the Ipswich River went "bone dry," Pickering said the Charles River is heading on a similar path unless people change their habits.

"What (DEP) is saying is that you're irrigating too much and should get a hold on irrigation," said Pickering in reference to the summer cap. "We don't want to try to make our lawns green and fight nature and pump a lot of water."

Reporter Priscilla Yeon can be reached at 781-433-8354 or pyeon@cnc.com