GREENFIELD — As hot, dry weather conditions continue placing a high demand on town water supplies, the town water department is asking residents to voluntarily use less water.
This means curtailing non-essential uses, such as watering lawns and gardens and washing vehicles. If outdoor irrigation is necessary, it should be done very early in the morning or very late in the day, and monitored so that excess water is not used, town officials urge.
Mark Holley, water facilities superintendent, said in a news release that the recent pattern of sudden heavy showers riles up surface waters and makes them dirty, requiring the use of the town’s well field exclusively.
“Given that our static water levels in the wells have dropped into the 20s — about 10 feet below the normal range — coupled with the sporadic rains that do not penetrate the ground surface, our facilities have been pushed fairly hard and they are now showing the fatigue,” he said. “It is therefore prudent for us to move to reduce the consumption of our water.”
Holley added the town’s facilities are still fully capable of supplying water for firefighting and related emergencies, and the water quality is within the standards imposed by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection and the Environmental Protection Agency.
In urging residents to limit their water usage, Mayor William Martin said, “We have great water from varied sources and to protect our wonderful asset, we must maintain a delicate balance of use and conservation.”
By taking action to limit nonessential watering at this time, the town hopes to be able to avoid mandatory restrictions in the future.