Water restrictions in Essex County, MA — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Outdoor watering limits are standard across Essex County. Public suppliers operating under Massachusetts Water Management Act permits impose odd/even or two-day watering schedules, and mandatory bans on lawn sprinkling follow state drought declarations for the Northeast region.
The Water Management Act, chapter 21G, gives MassDEP control over how much water Essex County suppliers withdraw. Permits issued under the act carry seasonal outdoor-use conditions, so towns from Andover to Ipswich enforce odd/even address watering, dawn-and-dusk-only sprinkling, and hand-held hose exemptions each summer. When the state declares a Level 2 or 3 drought for the Northeast Massachusetts region, suppliers escalate to non-essential outdoor water bans. Residents on private wells are urged, not required, to match the limits.
Violating a mandatory watering restriction draws warnings, then fines set by local bylaw, from about $50 to $300 per offense, with repeat violations risking shutoff.
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See how Essex County's water restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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