As many of you know, Gloucester and the rest of the Northeast Region have been placed in a Level 2 – Significant Drought by the state. In response, the city announced nonessential outdoor water use restrictions, which are required by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP).
I understand there are questions and concerns about what this means for our local water supply and for the future. Here are some helpful points that you should know:
Gloucester is permitted to withdraw up to 3.75 million gallons of water per day.
Our average usage over the past four years has been about 3.28 million gallons per day – well below our limit.
We have seven surface water sources with a combined system yield of 4.12 million gallons per day, even when factoring in drought conditions.This means we’re in a strong position to meet current water needs, and we’re equipped to support future needs.
The temporary outdoor water use restrictions are part of a statewide effort to conserve water, and do not reflect any immediate shortage or long-term supply issue for Gloucester.
If you’d like more detailed information, I am including a document from MassDEP covering our current water usage.
Here is the most recent update on our water capacity and water restrictions: https://tinyurl.com/46vjxawn
Thanks for doing your part to conserve water. We’ll continue to keep you updated.
