The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has designated the region as Level 3 – Critical Drought.
According to the National Integrated Drought Information System, all Essex County residents are affected by the drought, a figure that has not changed in the last month.
The NIDIS has shown that January to May of this year was the ninth driest year in the past 132 years, with rainfall 5.44 inches below normal.
Currently, the Northeast region of Massachusetts is the only one that has reached the Level 3 designation. The Connecticut River Valley and Central regions are at Level 2 – Significant Drought, and the Western region is at Level 1 – Mild Drought.
A Level 3 – Critical Drought requires affected communities to ban nonessential outdoor water use and to coordinate ongoing efforts among state and federal agencies to implement drought response actions, such as water-use restrictions.
There are multiple steps for residents and businesses who are in Level 3 areas.
These steps include following state water conservation actions and any local water-use restrictions; monitoring total household water use on your water bill for sudden increases; fixing any leaks immediately; using dishwashers instead of handwashing dishes; and aggressively reducing indoor water use.
Local governments are being asked to implement the state’s restrictions on nonessential outdoor water use, according to Mass.gov. This includes enforcement of the restrictions and strongly discouraging or prohibiting the installation of new sod, seeding, and/or landscaping; the washing of hard surfaces; and personal vehicle or boat washing.
According to Mass.gov, this is not the first time the state has been significantly impacted by a drought; the 2016-2017 drought reached a Level 4 – Emergency Drought warning, affecting the agricultural sector, some water supplies, the natural environment, and many habitats and species.
