After historic drought, Sudbury targets private wells.
Daily News Staff @DameReports Sudbury residents who draw water from private wells for their lawns could soon be subject to outdoor water use restrictions during an extreme drought like the one suffered last summer.
Since 2000, a town bylaw required residents to drill private wells if they install in-ground irrigation systems.
There are now 360 town-permitted, private irrigation wells.
Residents who use these wells are not subject to outdoor water use restrictions imposed by the Sudbury Water District, the town’s municipal water supplier.
A proposal set to appear before Town Meeting next month would allow selectmen to restrict outdoor water use by residents with private wells when the state declares a drought “warning” – a designation issued for the first time ever in 2016.
We just don’t want to run out of water.” Some Sudbury residents raised concerns to town officials about the discrepancy between those with private irrigation wells and those who rely on the water district for all their water, Eggleston said.
Even if the measure passes, residents with private irrigation wells would still enjoy more freedoms than residents connected to the water district only.
While the water district routinely implements time and day restrictions on outdoor water use, even in the absence of drought conditions, selectmen would only be allowed to restrict private irrigation wells in extreme conditions, when a drought “warning” is issued by the state.
Some reservoir systems are back up closer to normal,” said Jonathan Yeo, DCR’s director of water supply protection.