GREENFIELD — Amid worsening drought conditions, city officials have declared a state of water supply conservation requiring mandatory water restrictions, while surrounding communities continue to issue alerts.
These mandatory restrictions come just over a week after the city began encouraging residents to voluntarily conserve water, and days after the state announced the region had moved into “significant drought conditions” from “mild drought conditions.” With the Leyden Glen Reservoir offline through the summer for its first full dredging since 1988, the city has been relying on the Millbrook Wellfield and Green River Pumping Station for all its water.
“Every day we look at the forecast and we monitor the Green River as one of our sources up and running,” said Public Works Director Marlo Warner II. “We haven’t had any rain, and an extended forecast showed the heat wave and only a chance of thunderstorms. We had to take action so we don’t limit our resources.”
Effective immediately, the following water restrictions are in place, with violations of water-use restrictions carrying a $50 fine for the first offense and a $100 fine for each subsequent offense.
■Observe odd/even day watering schedules. Outdoor watering by water users with odd-numbered addresses is restricted to odd-numbered days. Outdoor watering by water users with even-numbered addresses is restricted to even-numbered days.
■Refrain from watering between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
■Limit watering to a hand-held hose or watering can.
■The use of automatic sprinkler systems is prohibited.
■All car washing, except in commercial car washes, is prohibited.
■Filling or “topping off” pools is banned.
According to a city press release, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has established exemptions to the ban for health or safety reasons, by regulation, for production of food or fiber, for maintenance of livestock, or to meet the core function of a business.
“I want to thank everyone for taking these commonsense steps to safeguard Greenfield’s water supply and ensure we have enough water for firefighting and other essential needs,” Mayor Roxann Wedegartner said in a statement. “The voluntary conservation measures we requested a week and a half ago have made a difference, but we need to do more, given the continued dry conditions.”
Statistics collected by Greenfield’s Water Pollution Control Plant show the city has received 1.2 inches of rainfall in July thus far, with rain falling on five days. July 2021 statistics show 14.72 inches of precipitation, compared to 3.01 inches in July 2020, 3.68 inches in July 2019 and 6.58 inches in July 2018.
Greenfield is not the only community raising alert to the continued drought conditions. In Turners Falls, the Water Department is requesting its customers take part in voluntary water restrictions due to dry conditions in the area.
While the water supply appears to be in “no imminent sign of being at risk,” Turners Falls Water Department customers are asked to limit outdoor water use to before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m., according to a notice from the department.
In Gill, FirstLight Power issued an alert on Tuesday for water levels in the area of Barton Cove. This notice comes in anticipation of extreme heat in the week ahead, according to a FirstLight press release.
In anticipation that the electric grid operator may need to use its facilities as an emergency measure to maintain electric supply during the heat wave, FirstLight is taking precautionary measures to mitigate the potential for low water levels on the Connecticut River at Turners Falls upstream of the dam.
“While we always operate within our approved federal hydro license parameters, we are proactively working to avoid the potential for low water levels in the river,” FirstLight’s notice reads. “However, given that traditionally shallow areas — such as the state boat ramp in Barton Cove and the Franklin County Boat Club — are particularly impacted by the low water levels, FirstLight recommends that recreational boaters plan accordingly and monitor water levels during these extreme weather conditions.”
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.