Cambridge, Somerville and most of Massachusetts are no longer in drought, according to the state. Cape Cod and Nantucket remain in a mild drought.
“Up until mid-May we were in a critical drought,” said Mark Gallagher, managing director of the Cambridge Water Department. “We got a lot of rain in May, and that quickly brought stream levels and ground water and surface water levels back up.”
The drought status of the Northeast, which includes Cambridge and Somerville, was first declared at Level Zero on May 20 by Energy and Environmental Affairs secretary Rebecca Tepper. Drought statuses are Level Zero (normal), Level 1 (mild), Level 2 (significant), Level 3 (critical) and Level 4 (emergency).
The levels are established based on the state’s Drought Management Plan, which considers six parameters – precipitation, streamflow, groundwater levels, reservoir levels in lakes and impoundments, fire danger and evapotranspiration, also known as crop moisture.
Reservoir levels are normal – at 90 percent capacity, since some capacity is always left to allow for events such as unexpected sudden rain. “Based on current water demands and historical values we’re right where we should be this time of the year,” Gallagher said.
But the drought status could change. “Last year at this time, starting in early July, we didn’t get any significant rain again until late November,” Gallagher said. “And that’s why we got into critical drought status.”
Precipitation levels across Massachusetts were below normal in June.
There are monthly meetings to update drought status by the state’s Drought Management Task Force, made up of officials from state and federal agencies and professional organizations, representatives of agencies providing relevant data or able to respond to drought, and public health and safety professionals.
Droughts have become more frequent over the past decade, though still impossible to predict, Gallagher said. “If we get one good rainstorm every other week, that would give us enough refresh rate to keep up with demand,” he said. “We wouldn’t have an issue with potential drought.”
Gallagher also gave an update on water levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, the long-lasting chemicals (sometimes called “forever chemicals”) known as PFAS that are found in a wide range of consumer products. The most recent quarterly sampling showed that levels in parts per trillion of the six compounds under regulation since 2020 are at trace levels (4 ppt) or undetectable (less than 2 ppt, the limit of detection). Massachusetts regulations require less than 20 ppt, which Cambridge has never exceeded, he noted. The Water Department uses granular activated carbon filters, which are changed annually at a cost of $1.5 million, to remove the chemicals.
“Right now our water is as clean as it could be,” Gallagher said. “And we always meet or surpass any and all of the regulatory standards.”
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