Water restrictions in Middlesex County, MA — also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance — set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Water use restrictions in Middlesex County follow the MA Water Management Act and MWRA/local water supplier rules. Summer outdoor watering bans are common from May to September.
Water restrictions in Middlesex County are set by individual water suppliers operating under the Massachusetts Water Management Act (MGL c.21G) and state drought guidance from the MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) supplies Cambridge, Arlington, Belmont, Everett, Lexington, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Somerville, Stoneham, Wakefield, Waltham, Watertown, Winchester, and Woburn via the Quabbin Reservoir and has relatively abundant supply. Towns with their own municipal wells (Framingham, Natick, Acton, Concord, Lincoln, Sudbury, Wayland, Weston, Billerica, Burlington, Wilmington, Tewksbury) are often under stricter seasonal bans because they rely on groundwater. Typical restrictions ban daytime outdoor watering (9 AM to 5 PM) from May 1 through September 30, and limit lawn watering to two days per week by address (even/odd). During declared droughts, outdoor watering may be banned entirely. Violations typically carry $50 to $200 fines per incident.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
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See how Middlesex County's water restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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