MHC always tries to use water responsibly, but we must make extra conservation efforts where possible. We should not do any vehicle or hardscape washing until further notice and we should make sure our watering practices adhere to the 'residents and businesses' requirements listed for the Connecticut River Valley's current status of Level 2 - Significant Drought:
Residents and Businesses:
- Minimize overall water use;
- Limit outdoor watering to hand-held hoses or watering cans, to be used only after 5 pm or before 9 am;
- Follow local water use restrictions;
- Fix indoor leaks, such as from toilets, faucets, and showers, which result in more than 60 percent of indoor use; and,
- For larger buildings and businesses, conduct water audits to identify areas of leaks and potential water conservation opportunities.
Immediate Steps for Communities/Municipalities:
- Adopt and implement the state’s nonessential outdoor water use restrictions for Drought Level 2 which calls for limiting outdoor watering to hand-held hoses or watering cans, to be used only after 5 p.m. or before 9 a.m. If local restrictions are more stringent, continue to keep them in place during the course of the drought.
- Limit or prohibit washing of hard surfaces (sidewalks, patios, driveways, siding); personal vehicle or boat washing; and,
- Establish water-use reduction targets for all water users, identify top water users and conduct targeted outreach to help curb their use.
More info is on MA EEA's Drought Status website. The next update from the Drought Management Task Force (DMTF) is expected on June 8th.