Water Conservation, Protection, & Management
Resource Center
Water Management
Emergency Notification System
In the event of a public water supply emergency, you can receive alerts directly on your landline, cellphone or email.
Follow the steps below to add your telephone number to the Code Red Emergency Notification system:
- Go to www.barnstablepolice.com
- Click on 3rd option “EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION”
- Click on the work Link in the center of the 4th paragraph and an enrollment form will open.
- Follow the instructions.
Water Use Restrictions Bylaw
Section 1: Authority
This Bylaw is adopted by the Cotuit Fire District under its police powers to protect public health and welfare and its powers under M.G.L. c.40, §§21 et seq, and implements the District’s authority to regulate water use pursuant to M.G.L. c. 41, §69B. This bylaw also implements the District’s authority under M.G.L. c. 40, §41A, conditioned upon a declaration of water supply emergency issued by the Department of Environmental Protection.
Section 2: Purpose
The purpose of this bylaw is to protect, preserve and maintain the Public health, safety and welfare whenever there is in force a State of Water Supply conservation or State of Water supply Emergency by providing for enforcement of any duly imposed restrictions, requirements, provisions or conditions imposed by the District or by the Department of Environmental Protection.
Section 3: Purpose
- Person shall mean any individual, corporation trust, partnership or Association, or other entity.
- State of Water Supply Emergency shall mean a State of Water Supply Emergency declared by the Department of Environmental Protection under M.G.L. c.21G, §15-17.
- State of Water Supply Conservation shall mean a State of Water Supply Conservation declared by the District pursuant to Section 4 of this bylaw.
- Water Users or Water Consumers shall mean all public and private users of the District’s public water system, irrespective of any person’s responsibility for billing purposes for water used at any particular facility.
Section 4: Declaration of a State of Water Supply Conservation
The District, through its Board of Water Commissioners, may declare a State of Water Supply Conservation upon a determination by a majority vote of the Board that a shortage of Water exists and conservation measures are appropriate to ensure an adequate supply of water to all water consumers. Public notice of a State of Water Conservation shall be given under section 6 of this bylaw before it may be enforced.
Section 5: Restricted Water Uses
A declaration of a State of Water Supply Conservation shall include one or more of the following restrictions, conditions, or requirements limiting the use of water as necessary to protect the water supply. The applicable restrictions, conditions or requirements shall be included in the public notice required under section 6.
a) Odd/Even Day Outdoor Watering Outdoor watering by water users with odd numbered addresses is restricted to odd numbered days. Outdoor watering by water users with even numbered addresses is restricted to even numbered days.
b) Outdoor Water Ban: Outdoor water is prohibited.
c) Outdoor Watering Hours: Outdoor watering is permitted only during daily periods of low demand, to be specified in the declaration of a State of Water Supply Conservation an public notice thereof.
d) Filling Swimming Pools: Filling of swimming pools is prohibited.
e) Automatic Sprinkler Use: The use of automatic sprinkler systems is prohibited.
Section 6: Public Notification of a State of Water Supply Conservation: Notification of DEP
Notification of any provision, restriction, requirement or condition imposed by the District as part of a State of Water Supply Conservation shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the District, or by such other means reasonably calculated to reach and inform all users of water of the State of Water Supply Conservation. Any restriction imposed under section 5 shall not be effective until such notification is provided. Notification of the State of Water Supply Conservation shall also be simultaneously provided to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
Section 7: Termination of a State of Water Supply Conservation: Notice
A State of Water Supply Conservation may be terminated by a majority vote of the Board of Water Commissioners, upon a determination that the water supply shortage no longer exists. Public notification of the termination of a State of Water Supply Conservation shall be given in the same manner required by section 6.
Section 8: State of Water Supply Emergency: Compliance with DEP Orders
Upon notification to the public that a declaration of a State of Water Emergency has been issued by the Department of Environmental Protection, no person, shall violate any provision, restriction, requirement, condition of any order approved or issued by the Department intended to bring about an end to the State of Emergency.
Section 9: Penalties
Any penalties violating this bylaw shall be liable to the District in the amount of $50.00 for the first violation and $100 for each subsequent violation which shall incur to the District for such uses as the Board of Water Commissioners may direct. Fines shall be recovered by indictment, or on complaint before the District Court, or by non-criminal disposition in accordance with section 21D of chapter 40 of the general laws. Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense.
Section 10: Severability
The invalidity of any portion or provision of this bylaw shall not invalidate any other portion or provision thereof.
Water Conservation & Irrigation Policies
THE FINAL POLICY AS ADOPTED AND AMENDED CAN BE FOUND HERE.
Proposed/Draft Irrigation Policy 2021: DRAFT POLICY
THE HYDROGEOLOGIC TECHNICAL REPORT GROUNDWATER MODELING PROJECT OF GROUNDWATER SURFACE WATER INTERACTION OF THE LITTLE RIVER AND THE COTUIT WELL FIELD CAN BE FOUND: HERE
Addition information regarding Fertigation Wells can be found by clicking here.
The moratorium on installing new automatic in-ground irrigations systems has been extended through July 23, 2021 per vote of the Board of Water Commissioners on 6/16/21.
Click the link below to view the Conservation Advisory:
WATER CONSERVATION ADVISORY APRIL 2020
AUTOMATIC IN-GROUND IRRIGATION CONNECTION MORATORIUM EXTENDED
On March 24, 2021 the Cotuit Water Commission voted unanimously to extend a moratorium on new connections to the Cotuit public drinking water supply for automatic, in-ground irrigation systems for an additional three months until June 24, 2021. The Commission plans to have a Regulation or Policy in place by that time. During the previous moratorium the Commission held a public workshop and has retained the services of a hydrogeologic consultant to evaluate the effects of pumping at the main wellfield upon flow in the Little River and associated wetlands. Preliminary results of this analysis suggest that the peak summer pumping rates are likely to be significantly reducing flow in the Little River. Final results of the analysis are expected to be presented at the Commissions April 21, 2021 meeting at 5:45 PM. Join us via zoom using the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3462071880 .
The Commission is concerned that peak summer pumping is exceeding our permit levels and that natural water bodies including streams and wetlands are being de-watered by the excessive pumping. Lawn irrigation is estimated to consume approximately 50% of the summer pumping.
Among the items which the Commission is exploring are a permanent ban on new irrigation systems, upgrading and maintaining “smart” irrigation technologies, separate metering, premium pricing, eventual disconnections of existing irrigation systems and possible replacement with individual private on-lot irrigation wells. Residents may opt for installing their own on-lot private wells for irrigation taking the demand off the public drinking water system. With the new water rates that encourage conservation and reduced pumping, the costs associated with a private on-lot irrigation well are more favorable.
How Much Water Do I Use?
In general, per capita water use ranges from 40 to 80gallons per day (gpd) in the eastern United States.
Type of Usage Per Person
- Shower or tub 15 – 25
- Sink 3 – 5
- Toilet 5 – 15
- Washing clothes 10 – 20
- Washing dishes 5 – 10
- Cooking 1 – 2
- Miscellaneous 1 – 3
- Total: 40 – 80 Gallons Per Person Per Day
Fact: 5/8 inch hose will normally discharge at a rate of about 3 to 5 gallons per minute. The use of an outside hose for 30 minutes would consume 90 to 150 gallons or double the use of water within the home during 24 hours.
Fact: Little leaks add up in a hurry. A faucet drip or invisible toilet leak that totals only twotablespoons a minute comes to 15 gallonsa day. That’s 105 gallons a week and 5,460wasted gallons of water a year!
Conservation Tips:
- Install rain sensors on sprinkler systems
- Water lawns in early morning
- Don’t run the hose while washing the car
- Check for toilet leaks (free test kits available)
- Utilize low-flow shower heads and fixtures
- Turn water off while brushing teeth
- Run dishwashers and washing machines with full loads only
Gardening:
Try the concept of XeriscapeTM (pronounced zeer-ah-scape),which means “landscaping for water conservation.”
The idea is to use plants that require less water.You also can decorate creatively with interesting objects that need no water at all, such as rocks, bricks, benches, gravel, and deck areas.
