Recently the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued new guidelines to public water suppliers that are intended to restrict the amount of water used by residents and limit non-essential uses, such as lawn irrigation, during the summer. The DEP is considering imposing the following conditions to Concord ’s future water withdrawal permit:
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A cap on overall residential water use to no more than an average of 65 gallons per person per day. Concord residents currently average 80 gallons per person per day. |
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A limit on the amount of water the Town can pump during the summer; and |
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A mandatory restriction on nonessential water use, including, but not limited to, lawn and landscape irrigation. |
Since 1997 Concord ’s Comprehensive Water Conservation Program achieved a 7% reduction in billed usage while the number of accounts has grown by over 7%. More and more Concordians are making water conservation a habit.
However, these new guidelines will likely require mandatory restrictions on outdoor water use unless we accelerate our conservation efforts. We think more can be done and urge all residents to use water wisely, especially outdoors. Please click on the links below for more information.
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