Worcester County, MA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Worcester County has no county-level water agency because county government was abolished in 1998. Water restrictions are administered by each water supplier under MassDEP Water Management Act permits (MGL c. 21G). The City of Worcester operates its own water system drawing from the Quinapoxet and Stillwater Reservoirs; the Worcester DPW Water Operations Division typically imposes summer (May 1-September 30) odd/even address watering schedules and a ban on watering 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, consistent with the MassDEP model bylaw. MassDEP issues regional Drought Declarations (Level 1 Mild, Level 2 Significant, Level 3 Critical, Level 4 Emergency) for the Central (Chicopee Basin), Connecticut River, Millers, and Blackstone regions covering Worcester County; Level 2+ typically triggers 2-day-per-week limits and Level 3+ can trigger outdoor watering bans. Fitchburg (Wachusett Reservoir area), Leominster, Gardner, Clinton, West Boylston, and Blackstone Valley towns each have their own water departments with their own restrictions. Towns in the MWRA service area (Marlborough partial, Southborough, Northborough) fall under MWRA rules. The Quabbin Reservoir watershed towns (Hardwick, Petersham, New Salem, Athol) have special protections under MGL c. 92 §104.