Town officials in Bridgewater announced a water supply emergency Thursday and enacted a ban on outdoor water use at least through Monday due to low water tank levels, officials said.
During this week’s heat wave, residents have drained the town’s water tanks to their lowest levels in years, according to a statement from the Bridgewater Fire Department.
There is usually about 75 feet of water in each of the town’s two main water tanks located on Sprague Hill and Great Hill. But town officials found the tanks were down to be about 30 and 25 feet Thursday morning, according to the statement.
If residents continue to use outdoor water at the current pace, the town’s water tanks could be nearly empty by as soon as Monday, officials said.
“Over the past few weeks, we have sent out numerous reverse-911 calls and made announcements asking residents to limit their water usage,” Bridgewater Town Manager Michael Dutton said. “If residents cooperate, and town water tanks are allowed time to refill, this restriction could be lifted within a few days.”
Advertisement
The low water tanks are also a public safety threat to the fire department because of the low water pressure at hydrants and the likely insufficient amount of water available to tame fires.
“A large fire can require hundreds of thousands of gallons of water to fully extinguish,” Fire Chief John Schlatz said. “We need to prioritize public safety and allow the water tanks to recharge.”
To help with this issue, town officials are asking residents to avoid using outdoor sprinkler systems, filling pools with town water, and watering flower beds and vegetable gardens.
Residents found violating town water restrictions will be fined.
Cathy Ching can be reached at cathy.ching@globe.com. Follow her @bycathyching.