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Outdoor Water Use Restrictions for Cities, Towns, and Golf Courses

Learn about any water restrictions that may currently be in place in your city or town.

NOTE: The restriction season for 2020 ended on September 30. The most recent list is provided here for information purposes only. Updated lists will resume in May 2021.

Please contact your local public water supplier for further information.

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Table of Contents

Current City and Town Water Restrictions

Massachusetts Municipal Water Use Restrictions as of September 17, 2020
Town Public Water Supplier Contact Implementation Date Restriction Level
Acton Water Supply District of Acton 978-263-9107 5/31/2020 Mandatory
Adams Adams Fire District 413-743-0978  6/30/2020 Mandatory
Andover Andover Water Division 978-623-8906 6/25/2020 Voluntary
Ashburnham Ashburnham Water Department 978-827-4100 ext. 5 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Ashland Ashland Water Dept. 508-881-0120 8/25/2020 Mandatory
Athol Athol Water Division 978-721-8448 6/10/2020 Mandatory
Auburn Auburn Water District 508-832-5336 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Avon Avon Water Dept. 508-588-0414  5/1/2020 Mandatory
Ayer Ayer Water Dept. 978-772-8242 5/15/2020 Mandatory
Barnstable Cotuit Water Dept. 508-428-2687 7/22/2020 Voluntary
Barre Barre Water Dept. 978-355-5013 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Belchertown Belchertown Water District 413-323-6987 6/22/2020 Mandatory
Bellingham Bellingham DPW 508-966-5816 8/13/2020 Mandatory
Billerica Billerica Water Works 978-671-0957 7/3/2020 Mandatory
Blackstone Blackstone Water Dept. 508-883-9331 5/26/2020 Mandatory
Bourne Buzzards Bay Water District 508-759-4631 6/19/2020 Voluntary
Bridgewater Bridgewater Water Dept. 508-697-0910 1/1/2020 Mandatory
Burlington Burlington Water Department 781-270-1679 7/24/2020 Mandatory
Byfield Byfield Water District 978-462-3023 5/22/2020 Mandatory
Canton Canton Water Dept. 781-821-5017 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Chelmsford Chelmsford Water District 978-256-2931 6/22/2020 Mandatory
Chelmsford East Chelmsford Water District 978-453-0121 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Chelmsford North Chelmsford Water District 978-251-3931 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Cohasset Cohasset Water Department 781-383-0057 9/1/2020 Voluntary
Cohasset (North) Weir River Water System 781-740-6695 8/10/2020 Mandatory
Concord Concord Water Dept. 978-318-3250 6/24/2020 Mandatory
Danvers Danvers Water Department 978-762-0231 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Dartmouth Dartmouth Water Division 508-999-0742 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Dedham Dedham-Westwood Water District 781-329-7090 7/29/2020 Mandatory
Devens Devens-MassDevelopment 978-784-2931 5/26/2020 Mandatory
Dighton Dighton Water District 508-824-9390 6/23/2020 Mandatory
Douglas Douglas Water Dept. 508-476-2400 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Dover Colonial Water Company 508-785-0052 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Dracut Dracut Water District 978-957-0441 7/13/2020 Mandatory
Dudley Dudley Water Department 508-949-8007 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Duxbury Duxbury Water Dept. 781-934-1100 5/1/2020 Mandatory
East Bridgewater East Bridgewater Water Division 508-378-1619 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Easthampton Easthampton Water Dept. 413-529-1410 6/12/2020 Mandatory
Easton Easton Water Division 508-230-0850 8/14/2020 Mandatory
Fairhaven Fairhaven Water Dept. 508-979-4032 8/24/2020 Voluntary
Falmouth Falmouth Water Dept. 508-457-2543 8/6/2020 Mandatory
Fitchburg Fitchburg DPW 978-345-9616 6/2/2020 Mandatory
Foxborough Foxborough Water Department 508-543-1209 6/22/2020 Mandatory
Franklin Franklin Water Department 508-520-4910 6/25/2020 Mandatory
Gardner Gardner Water Dept. 978-630-4015 6/3/2020 Mandatory
Georgetown Georgetown Water Department 978-352-5750 6/1/2020 Mandatory
Grafton Grafton Water District 508-839-2302 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Grafton South Grafton Water District 508-839-5335 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Groton Groton Water Department 978-448-1122 6/15/2020 Mandatory
Groveland Groveland Water Dept. 978-556-7200 9/8/2020 Mandatory
Hadley Hadley DPW 413-586-2390 6/23/2020 Mandatory
Halifax Halifax Water Dept. 781-293-1733 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Hamilton Hamilton Water Department 978-468-5581 6/18/2020 Mandatory
Hanover Hanover Water Department 781-826-3189 5/27/2020 Mandatory
Hanson Hanson Water Dept. 781-447-1200 6/22/2020 Mandatory
Hingham Weir River Water System 781-740-6695 8/10/2020 Mandatory
Hinsdale Hinsdale Water/Sewer  413-655-2300 x307 8/14/2020 Mandatory
Holden Holden Water Division 508-210-5550 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Holliston Holliston Water Dept. 508-429-0603 7/16/2020 Mandatory
Hopedale Hopedale Water Dept. 508-478-2080 6/22/2020 Mandatory
Hopkinton Hopkinton Water Department 508-497-9765 7/30/2020 Mandatory
Hudson Hudson Water Dept. 978-562-9333 6/22/2020 Mandatory
Hull Weir River Water System 781-740-6695 8/10/2020 Mandatory
Hyannis Hyannis Water Dept. 508-775-0063 4/21/2020 Mandatory
Ipswich Ipswich Water Dept. 978-356-6635 6/2/2020 Mandatory
Kingston Kingston Water Dept. 781-585-0516 8/12/2020 Mandatory
Leicester Cherry Valley and Rochdale Water District 508-892-9616 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Lenox Lenox DPW Water Division 413-637-5501 9/4/2020 Mandatory
Lincoln Lincoln Water Department 781-259-8997 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Littleton Littleton Water Department 978-540-2222 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Lunenburg Lunenburg Water District 978-342-9211 6/17/2020 Mandatory
Lynnfield Lynnfield Center Water District 781-334-3901 6/29/2020 Mandatory
Mansfield Mansfield Public Works Water Division 508-261-7376 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Marion Marion Water Department 508-748-3540 6/15/2020 Mandatory
Marshfield Marshfield Water Department 781-834-5589 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Mattapoisett Mattapoisett Water Dept 508-758-4161 8/25/2020 Voluntary
Maynard Maynard Water Dept. 978-897-1317 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Medfield Medfield Water & Sewer Division 508-906-3002 8/14/2020 Mandatory
Medway Medway Water Department 508-533-3275 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Merrimac Merrimac Water Department 978-346-8407 6/22/2020 Mandatory
Middleborough Middleborough Water Department 508-946-2482 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Milford Milford Water Company 508-473-5110 6/23/2020 Mandatory
Millbury Aquarion Millbury 800-732-9678 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Millis Millis Water Department 508-376-5424 7/28/2020 Mandatory
Montague Turners Falls Water Dept. 413-863-4542 6/30/2020 Voluntary
Natick Natick Water & Sewer Department 508-647-6557 8/11/2020 Mandatory
Newburyport Newburyport Water Division 978-465-4464  8/14/2020 Mandatory
Norfolk Norfolk Water Division 508-528-4990 1/1/2020 Mandatory
North Attleborough North Attleborough Water Dept. 508-695-7790 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Northampton Northampton Water Department 413-587-1097 6/18/2020 Mandatory
Northbridge Whitinsville Water Co. 508-234-7358 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Norton Norton Water Dept. 508-758-4161 6/19/2020 Mandatory
Norwell Norwell Water Dept. 781-659-8076 7/15/2020 Mandatory
Oak Bluffs Oak Bluffs Water Department 508-693-5527 6/28/2020 Mandatory
Pembroke Pembroke Water Division 781-293-3874 8/20/2020 Mandatory
Pepperell Pepperell Water Department 978-433-5591 8/17/2020 Mandatory
Pittsfield Pittsfield Water Division 413-499-9339 9/16/2020 Mandatory
Plainville Plainville Water Department 508-695-6871 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Plymouth Colonial Water Company 508-785-0052 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Plymouth Pinehills Water Company 508-209-9000 8/14/2020 Mandatory
Plymouth Plymouth Water Division 508-830-4162 6/23/2020 Mandatory
Provincetown Provincetown Water Dept 508-487-7060 6/1/2020 Mandatory
Raynham North Raynham Water District 508-880-0085 6/2/2020 Mandatory
Rockport Rockport Water Dept. 978-546-3525 8/24/2020 Mandatory
Rowley Rowley Water Department 978-948-2640 6/8/2020 Mandatory
Rutland Rutland Water Department 508-886-4105 6/1/2020 Mandatory
Sagamore North Sagamore Water District 508-888-1085 6/24/2020 Mandatory
Salisbury Salisbury Water Department 978-462-7611 6/17/2020 Mandatory
Scituate Scituate Water Division 781-545-8735 6/29/2020 Mandatory
Seekonk Seekonk Water District 508-761-8170 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Shelburne Shelburne Falls Fire District 413-625-6734 6/22/2020 Mandatory
Sharon Sharon Water Department 781-784-1525 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Shirley Shirley Water District 978-425-2245 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Shrewsbury Shrewsbury Water Department 508-841-8506 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Southwick Southwick Water Division 413-569-6772 6/10/2020 Mandatory
Spencer Spencer Water Dept. 508-885-7525 5/1/2020 Mandatory
West Springfield West Springfield Water Dept 413-263-3030 8/28/2020 Mandatory
Sterling Sterling Water Department 978-422-6767 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Sturbridge Sturbridge Water Department 508-347-2500 6/8/2020 Mandatory
Stoughton Stoughton Water Department 781-341-1300 6/29/2020 Mandatory
Sudbury Sudbury Water District 978-443-6602 8/25/2020 Mandatory
Sutton Wilkinsonville Water Dept. 508-865-0060 6/1/2020 Mandatory
Swansea Swansea Water District 508-672-9746 8/7/2020 Mandatory
Taunton Taunton Water Dept. 508-821-1045 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Templeton Templeton Municipal Light & Water 978-939-5323 8/14/2020 Mandatory
Topsfield Topsfield Water Department 978-887-1517 6/8/2020 Mandatory
Upton Upton Water Department 508-529-3993 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Uxbridge Uxbridge Water Dept. 508-278-8631 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Walpole Walpole Water Division 508-660-7300 5/4/2020 Mandatory
Ware Ware Water Department 413-967-9620 6/8/2020 Mandatory
Wareham Wareham Fire District 508-295-0450 6/22/2020 Mandatory
Warren Warren Water District 413-436-9819 6/1/2020 Mandatory
Warren West Warren Water District 413-436-5692 6/25/2020 Mandatory
Wayland Wayland Water Department 508-358-3672 8/13/2020 Mandatory
Wenham Wenham Water Department 978-468-5520 6/5/2020 Mandatory
West Boylston West Boylston Water District 508-835-3025 6/1/2020 Mandatory
West Bridgewater West Bridgewater Water Dept. 508-894-1271 5/1/2020 Mandatory
West Groton West Groton Water District 978-448-3711 5/1/2020 Mandatory
West Newbury West Newbury Water Department 978-363-1110 6/22/2020 Mandatory
Westborough Westborough Water Department 508-366-3070 6/2/2020 Mandatory
Westfield Westfield Water Department 413-572-6226 6/11/2020 Mandatory
Westford Westford Water Dept. 978-692-5529 7/10/2020 Mandatory
Weston Weston Water Division 781-893-2363 1/1/2020 Mandatory
Westwood Dedham-Westwood Water District 781-329-7090 7/29/2020 Mandatory
Whately Whately Water Dept. 413-665-3080 6/25/2020 Mandatory
Williamstown Williamstown Water Dept. 413-458-3383 6/22/2020 Mandatory
Wilmington Wilmington Water Department 978-658-3311 1/1/2020 Mandatory
Winchendon Winchendon Water Division 978-297-0170 5/1/2020 Mandatory
Wrentham Wrentham Water Dept. 508-384-5400 8/13/2020 Mandatory

Current water use restrictions shown on a map

MassDEP regularly updates this map and list during the monitoring season (normally May 1 through Sep. 30). The list is also available as a downloadable PDF, linked below.

Additional Resources

Current Municipal Water Use Restrictions List (PDF 109.97 KB)

Restriction Information

Water suppliers utilize emergency restrictions or bans on non-essential water use to reduce water consumption by their consumers. These restrictions vary by water system or community, but often include:

  • Limitations on the hours of the day you may water
  • Limitations on the number of days per week you may water
  • Restrictions to automatic sprinklers or irrigation systems
  • A complete ban on outdoor watering.

You can find out if there is a water restriction by contacting your local community government or public water supplier.

Public Water Suppliers should use the "Notification of Water Use Restriction Form" provided below to notify MassDEP of any restrictions they put in place.

You can find more drought and water restriction information from:

  • The Department of Conservation & Recreation
  • MassDEP's Water Management Act Program

Additional Resources

DCR Drought Management
Water Management Act Program
MassDEP Model Water Use Restriction Bylaw/Ordinance
Notification of Golf Course Water Use Restriction (PDF 104.8 KB)
Notification of Golf Course Water Use Restriction (DOCX 85.84 KB)
Notification of Water Use Restriction Form (DOC 141.5 KB)
Notification of Water Use Restriction Form (PDF 119.4 KB)
Public water suppliers contact spreadsheet (Rev. April 2021) (XLSX 249.02 KB)

Water Conservation Pilot Program: Lawn Watering Reduction

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) implemented a behavior-change campaign pilot in the summer of 2018 with the water systems associated with the communities of Concord, West Springfield, and Hingham (Aquarion Water Company) with the goal of reducing summer water usage. The current pilot builds on the findings from the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration’s (DER) community-based social marketing project in the Ipswich watershed, conducted in the summer of 2017.

To select potential water systems for participation, DEP reviewed annual statistical reports to create a short list of water systems with high summer-to-winter water use differences, suggesting there is a significant amount of lawn watering occurring. DEP reached out to the water supplier to provide an overview of the project. The towns of Concord and West Springfield, as well as Hingham, supplied by the Aquarion Water Company, opted in to the pilot.

You can read the report and find a quick results flyer below.

Additional Resources

Water Conservation Pilot
Water Conservation Pilot Program: Lawn Watering Reduction (PDF 5.63 MB)
Water Conservation Pilot Campaign: Lawn Watering Reduction Flyer (PDF 2.92 MB)

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