FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5/11/26

For further information, contact:
Allyssa Lane
Tel: 781-461-2782

Dedham and Westwood Drought Declaration Upgraded from Level 0, Normal Conditions to Level 1, Mild Drought;
With the Change in the Drought Declaration, Level 1 – Mandatory Water Restrictions to Take Effect on Monday, May 18

Dedham, MA— On Friday, May 8, the Massachusetts Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA)/Drought Management Task Force upgraded the drought declaration for the Southeast Region of the Commonwealth from Level 0 Normal Conditions to Level 1, Mild Drought Conditions. With the change in drought conditions, effective Monday, May 18, the District will implement Level 1—Mandatory Water Restrictions.

Level 1 is mandatory unless otherwise declared by the Commonwealth. All nonessential outdoor water uses are restricted to no more than one day per week, before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m., except that watering ornamentals and flower gardens with drip irrigation, hand-held hose, or watering cans may be permitted.

Allowable watering days are based on the first letter of the street name of the service address:

• Monday: Street names beginning with A through C
• Tuesday: Street names beginning with D through J
• Thursday: Street names beginning with K through R
• Friday: Street names beginning with S through Z

“While there has been some precipitation, and the District’s sources are at normal operating ranges, we are still experiencing an overall deficit in the Southeast Region,” said Executive Director Blake Lukis. “At last week’s Drought Management Task Force Meeting, we learned that the low levels of precipitation have affected the streamflow and the replenishment of lakes and reservoirs in our region.”

For drought management purposes, Dedham and Westwood are located in the Southeast Region of the Commonwealth. Per the District’s Water Withdrawal Registration Statement, all drought declarations made by the EEA/Drought Management Task Force for our region must be adhered to.

The Drought Management Task Force typically meets monthly to review conditions across the Commonwealth. If/when the EEA declares a change in drought status, the District will formally announce specific requirements on our website, Facebook, X/Twitter, and Instagram.

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