City of Newburyport Issues Voluntary Water Use Restriction Effective August 14, 2025
August 14, 2025August 14, 2025
City of Newburyport Issues Voluntary Water Use Restriction Effective August 14, 2025
NEWBURYPORT – Mayor Sean Reardon and the Department of Public Services, Water Division, are implementing voluntary water use restrictions effective August 14, 2025. Due to recent heat waves and a prolonged lack of rainfall, local reservoir levels have declined, prompting the City to encourage residents and businesses to limit non-essential water use. These voluntary restrictions will remain in effect until further notice.
Hours of outside watering: Outside watering should be restricted to the hours of 6:00 to 9:00 A.M. and 6:00 to 9:00 P.M.
Municipal parks & fields: Watering of parks, athletic fields and similar municipal uses is restricted to the same time of day.
The following tips can help you conserve water during this time.
• Water your lawn every third day. Always water during the cool time of the day to minimize evaporation. Early morning or the evening is the best. As much as 30% of water can be lost to evaporation by watering the lawn during midday
• Adjust sprinklers so only the lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street. Do not water on windy days. Check and maintain your sprinkler system regularly.
• A heavy rain means you don’t have to water at all. Adjust or deactivate automatic sprinklers so that they do not water on rainy days or when they are not needed.
• When mowing, raise the blade on your lawn mower to at least three inches high, or to its highest level. Closely-cut grass makes the roots work harder, requiring more water.
• Using a layer of mulch around plants reduces evaporation and promotes plant growth. Water retaining basins also allow water to be concentrated around the plants.
• When washing the car, use soap and water from a bucket. Use a hose with a shut-off nozzle for the final rinse.
The City is also monitoring an algae bloom and has posted warning signs in those affected areas around the Upper and Lower Artichoke. Ongoing testing has confirmed that our water is safe to drink and the localized blooms are not in proximity to any water intakes. Swimming and Fishing is not allowed in these areas and residents should keep dogs on leash on watershed land and do not let your pets enter the reservoirs. The Newburyport Water Division is conducting continued sampling of the water in the reservoir and continues to treat this recent bloom. This bloom is being closely monitored through in-field observation and regular water sampling and testing.
