Representatives of the four towns served under the Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee met on November 8 and decided to continue to enforce the mandatory water ban imposed by the state, although some Massachusetts communities have recently “seceded” from the restrictions, as Fairhaven DPW Superintendent Vincent Furtado put it.
Mattapoisett Water & Sewer Superintendent Henri Renauld asked if the other committee members wanted to touch base on the issue, saying, “The drought task force is still saying that we are still in a … drought watch.”
“The rivers have come up some, the [dry land] area is getting smaller and smaller as we go, and I was just wondering what other communities thought … and whether we wanted to stay in the ban.”
The “red patch” of drought-affected areas on the map is shrinking slowly, with low water levels being maintained rather than increasing, and the state has not yet lifted its mandatory water ban on affected communities.
Marion DPW Superintendent Rob Zora commented on a number of households in Marion that have applied for and were granted waivers from the water ban due to having “walked themselves into a situation,” whether it be new landscaping installations or new lawn installations.
Renauld said about a half dozen waivers were granted in Mattapoisett as well, and Furtado noted the same in Fairhaven.
“I feel we could probably go until at least the next monthly meeting,” said Renauld, adding that the growing season is over and the demand for outside water use has dwindled.
Renauld told the committee, “I think by next month you might see us go down from a watch to an advisory. I’m hearing whispers of it.”
By Jean Perry