It’s spring, the start of watering season. But Cambridge and most of Massachusetts is in a critical drought, and on Monday the city moved toward changing its regulations to control irrigation and other nonessential water uses. The new water system rules would impose penalties for violations for the first time.
The City Council approved the changes at a second reading March 24 and sent the amended rules to the Ordinance Committee, which includes all councillors. The committee voted in favor Monday. That brings the regulation back to the council the following Monday. If the council approves, the rules will go into effect.
The amended regulations arriving when the city’s water supply in its suburban reservoirs is “at one of the lowest stages it has been at this time of year,” water department managing director Mark Gallagher told the committee. Councillor Patty Nolan said the one-year median level at the Hobbs Brook reservoir in Waltham, the city’s main water storage site, was more than 100 million gallons below the lowest one-year median for the past 15 years.
Gallagher said in an email message, though, that the situation has started to improve. Since January the percent of capacity stored at Hobbs Brook, though low, is following the same pattern as capacity measurements in 2017 when the city recovered from a severe drought that started the year before. Hobbs Brook eventually rebounded to 90 percent of capacity by July 2017, the goal to meet summer demand, he said.
“As long as we continue to see normal to slightly above normal spring precipitation, Hobbs can fully recharge to meet summer demand,” Gallagher said. “If precipitation is below normal as it was in 2016, we may reach the point that we need to supplement with MWRA water during the summer high demand. At this point only time will tell and all we can do is prepare for the worst-case scenario of lower than normal precipitation.” The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority supplies 61 communities in Eastern and Central Massachusetts, and is Cambridge’s backstop.
The city usually uses its smaller reservoir, Stony Brook in Waltham and Weston, to meet the smaller fall and winter demand and closes off Hobbs Brook to let it refill, Gallagher said. In summer, the city can tap into Hobbs Brook to supplement the supply from Stony Brook if necessary, he said.
But last fall, because of drought conditions, “we had to continue to use water from Hobbs into November and were close to the point where we would need to supplement with the MWRA,” Gallagher said. “Fortunately, November precipitation levels were above normal, and we did not need to activate the MWRA, and we eventually were able to isolate Hobbs to allow recharge.”
Reaching fines up to $300
The new rules, aligned with amendments to the state water management act adopted in January, lay out which nonessential water uses are banned at each level of drought declared by the state. Violators would get a warning for the first lapse and would face a maximum $300 fine for the fourth and subsequent lapses. The penalties are for each day of violation.
The list of forbidden nonessential water uses starts with restricting the uses to one day a week before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m. in a mild drought and ends with banning them completely in a critical or emergency drought.
People could continue to water ornamental or flower gardens with drip irrigation, a water can or a hose during mild or moderate droughts. The city can water its municipal golf course at Fresh Pond but must squeeze the irrigation of fairways from an 80 percent level in a mild drought to 40 percent in a critical or emergency drought. Roughs, landscaping and ornamentals would get no water in moderate, critical and emergency droughts.
“The golf course will be severely affected,” Gallagher told the committee. It actually draws water from Little Fresh Pond, which is usually not part of the city’s public water system because it was separated from Fresh Pond by an earthen dike in the 1880s, Gallagher said in an email. The city has installed equipment to connect the two ponds, though, he said. “Because we can and occasionally do flow water from Fresh Pond to Little Fresh pond, it is considered part of our water system and therefore is subject to any drought-related water bans,” Gallagher said.
List of exemptions
The rules list a number of exemptions, including water for public street trees, public swimming pools and splash pads, washing buildings, streets, parking lots and other areas as part of construction projects, growing food, irrigating public parks or public or private recreation fields, but only before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m.; and watering wedding or other event venues, but only with a hose or drip irrigation.
Councillor Cathie Zusy asked why watering trees on private property is not exempted. “Most of our trees are private. We don’t want to lose our tree canopy,” she said. Gallagher said he will check with state officials to see if irrigation of trees on private property can be exempted.
Gallagher and deputy city manager Owen O’Riordon said the city will launch an effort to inform the public about the rules, including online announcements, newsletters, signs and “stuffers” in water bills. Managers have met with large water users, Gallagher said. Mayor E. Denise Simmons called for a full-fledged “public engagement campaign,” including contacting churches to publicize the regulation. Zusy suggested a “water dance” in Central Square.
The need for information was evident when vice mayor Marc McGovern, who was chairing the committee meeting, said: “I have a sprinkler system for my lawn … I’ve been told it’s time for the guy to come out and turn that on. Is that something I’m not supposed to do?”
“Correct. You’re not allowed to use in-ground irrigation systems in a level three critical drought,” Gallagher replied.
“Okay, I’ll cancel that appointment,” McGovern said.
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I have a suggestion, switch permanently to MWRA as our water source. Close the ridiculous public golf course and make Fresh Pond a public swimming hole.