Water Policies & Guidelines

Striking a balance between the needs for water by humans and our natural environment is the goal of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs' (EEA) water policies. EEA's Water Policy team implements the Massachusetts Water Policy, established in 2004, through various projects at EEA and our agencies.

Intended for Massachusetts homeowners, this guidebook, developed by the Water Resources Commission, offers ways to preserve biodiversity, conserve water, and save homeowner time and money.

Guidance for lawn and landscape water conservation intended for communities, property owners, managers, and Massachusetts state agencies developed by the Water Resources Commission in 2001.

Revised and updated in accordance with revisions to the Wetlands regulations, 310 CMR 10.00, and the Water Quality Regulations, 314 CMR 9.00, relating to stormwater. February 2008.

This management policy developed by the WRC is still in effect and was established on June 13, 1994.

The purpose of this guidebook is to explain the Interbasin Transfer Act and describe its review process to potential applicants.

A WRC policy document.

A policy statement updated in 1996 by the WRC.

Guidance document from MassDEP.

A document developed in 2001 by the Bureau of Resource Protection at MassDEP.

Links to policies and guidance documents from MassDEP.

To provide guidelines to all government agencies and private businesses regarding snow disposal site selection, site preparation and maintenance, and emergency snow disposal options that are acceptable to the Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Resource Protection.

The purpose of this policy is to articulate the position and approach DEP will take when evaluating the need for a Water Management Act (310 CMR 36:17) permit as it pertains to the construction, management and maintenance of both existing and proposed golf courses in Massachusetts.

This is an update of the policy, dated September 19, 1987, issued by the Water Management Program regarding withdrawals of saline or brackish water in excess of the threshold established by the Water Management Act, MGL,C. 21G.