Spring Season Begins With Significant Drought Conditions & Water Use Restrictions

The Cambridge Water Department (CWD) wants to make the Cambridge community aware of the latest water drought status.

Last week, the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) changed the Cambridge drought level status to Level 2 (Significant Drought). Under a Level 2 (Significant Drought), all nonessential outdoor water uses remain banned, except the watering of ornamentals and flower gardens with drip irrigation. Hand-held hose or watering cans may be permitted.

The Cambridge Water Department carefully monitors the City’s water supply system on a weekly basis to ensure an adequate supply of water is available to meet the needs of our residents, businesses, and organizations.

“While it’s encouraging that the Commonwealth has downgraded Cambridge and the northeast region of the state from a critical drought to a significant drought, we are still in a period where our local reservoirs and those across the state are still experiencing significantly lower water levels compared to prior years,” said Mark Gallagher, Managing Director, Cambridge Water Department. “Groundwater and reservoir levels remain low, and streamflow conditions are well below normal. Despite occasional rain or snow, these short-term events have not been enough to reverse long-term drought impacts. In fact, current water levels at Hobbs Brook Reservoir are approximately 750 million gallons lower than the 15-year median for this time of year. As a result, water management is strongly encouraged at every level in the City – from residents to businesses to municipal operations.”

For Level 2 – Significant Drought Status

In response to the ongoing drought, Cambridge has implemented strict water use restrictions.

All nonessential outdoor water use is currently prohibited, including:

• Private Residential Sprinkler Systems: Both above ground and installed underground sprinklers
• Filling pools
• Washing cars
• Pressure washing patios or sidewalks
  
  

Only outdoor water use deemed essential is allowed, such as for:

• Health and safety (e.g., firefighting, municipal pipe flushing, splash pads)
• Growing food, including vegetable gardens
• Core business functions
• Irrigation of public and private recreation fields (limited to off-peak hours – before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m.)
  
  • Golf course watering must also follow specific reductions during droughts, including reductions to irrigation of fairways and no watering of ornamentals during higher-level droughts.
• Private and Publicly funded shade trees and new lawn establishment post-construction

For a full list of essential uses, visit: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/drought-status#for-region-in-level-2-significant-drought.  

Residents, businesses and other organizations are encouraged to be mindful of water use and to help promote water conservation. This will help allow our water reservoir system to recharge, while maintaining water quality.

Residents and Businesses are strongly recommended to:

• Minimize overall water use
• Follow local water use restrictions
• Fix any toilet or faucet leaks immediately. Check for leaks in homes and businesses regularly by:
• Checking water meters for constant dial movement
• Using dye tabs to check for toilet leaks
• Conducting regular inspections of all pipes and fixtures, including those located in utility rooms, crawlspaces, and other hidden areas
• Use the MA Home Water Use Calculator tool to evaluate household water use.
  
  

Aggressively reduce indoor water use by:

• Reducing shower length and consider using a shower timer
• Running washing machines only on a full load
• Not letting water run while brushing and shaving
• Replacing old fixtures and appliances with water-efficient ones. Make sure toilets, faucets, and showerheads are WaterSense labeled.
  
  

You can conserve water in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, checking for leaks, and replacing appliances. Tips are available at Water Conservation - Water - City of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Updates to the Drought Ordinance and Enforcement

In January 2023, amendments to the Massachusetts Water Management Act were passed requiring all public water suppliers to establish enforceable restrictions limiting non-essential outdoor water use during any drought declarations by the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs. On April 7, 2025, the Cambridge City Council’s Ordinance Committee ordained the proposed updates to the Cambridge Municipal Code (Chapters 13.08 and 13.12) to strengthen local drought response and enforcement. These amendments are aligned with state guidance under 310 CMR 36.00.

Key updates include:

• The City Manager or Managing Director of the Water Department must restrict non-essential outdoor water use during a state-declared drought.
• The Water Board may impose stricter restrictions than the state minimum if necessary.
• Enforceable Penalties for water ban violations were established.
  
  

ANY VIOLATION OF THE WATER USE RESTRICTIONS will now result in the following penalties:

• WARNING FOR 1ST VIOLATION
• $100 FINE FOR 2nd VIOLATION
• $200 FOR 3rd VIOLATION
• $300/PER DAY FOR EACH SUBSEQUENT VIOLATION

Violations may be enforced through criminal or noncriminal proceedings by designated City staff, police officers, or the Animal Commission.

Drought status updates will be published on the Water Department’s website, the City’s Daily Update newsletter, social media accounts, media outlets, and by other means reasonably calculated to reach and inform all users of water of the state of water supply conservation.

For questions or more information, please contact the Cambridge Water Department at 617-349-4770, email CWD@cambridgema.gov or visit: https://www.cambridgema.gov/Water.