Medfield Issues Mandatory Water Ban

As of Tuesday, May 1, the town of Medfield has entered into a mandatory water ban due to lower than normal precipitation and low stream flows this year.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) is requiring all communities to take action now to address the dry conditions and any potential prolonged drought. The water ban requirements are as follows , according to the town of Medfield's website: 

• No outdoor watering between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
• Evening watering is allowed on an odd/even basis only. Ken Feeney, Medfield Department of Public Works Superintendent, said the odd/even water cycle schedule means residents living in houses with odd number street addresses can water on odd days and houses with even number street addresses can water on even days to “avoid having everybody pumping [water] at the same time.”

If residents have any questions, they are asked by the town to contact the Medfield Water Department at (508) 906-3004.

Medfield issued as mandated by the MassDEP because of “low stream flow in the Charles River," Feeney said. 

Feeney's Watering Tips:

• One inch of water is plenty: “People have to understand they have automatic sprinkler systems, which is great, but what I’ve asked them to do is rate their sprinkler systems and [see] how much water it can put out on its own in an hour,” Feeney said. “If you’ve got an inch, that’s tons of water."
• Watering every day is too much: “Right now a lot of people are just [watering] every day,” Feeney said. “Some sprinkler systems are on during the rain, which is a shame – they should have sensor devices on them."
• Green is Green: “If your lawn’s green, then it’s green,” Feeney said. “You can’t get it any greener. Take it easy and plan and be careful.”
• Pay to Pump: “The higher you pump [water], the higher you pay,” Feeney said.