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Medfield goes to tier‑3 water restrictions as streamflow drops below permit thresholds
Summary
Town staff announced tier‑3 restrictions after streamflow dipped below the Water Management Act threshold: watering is limited to one day per week (Mondays for even addresses, Thursdays for odd) with 9 a.m.–5 p.m. watering prohibited; staff will educate first and then issue violations if flows remain low.
Town staff told the Select Board on June 30 that streamflow measurements used in the town's Water Management Act permit had fallen below the threshold that allows normal watering, triggering tier‑3 water restrictions.
"We have 170 cubic feet per second that we're allowed until June 30th," the staff member said. "Tomorrow, it changes to 62 cubic feet per second. If it drops below those numbers for three consecutive days, we need by our water management act permit to go to one day per week." That one‑day schedule was described as Mondays for even‑numbered houses and Thursdays for odd‑numbered houses.
Staff reported a morning streamflow reading of 57.6 cfs and said they expected some rain could raise flows but that sustained low flow would require enforcement steps. "We're going around ... sending out notices to educate them on what our tier three is ... After that we will be handing out violations," the town official said, noting households on private wells are not regulated by the town's water restrictions.
The board directed staff to continue outreach, consider clearer signage about the even/odd schedule, and consult the police and contractor when needed to make temporary traffic or signage changes around newly finished intersections. Staff emphasized that the restrictions are intended to protect pumps, pressure and fire‑flow capacity rather than to punish residents, and that handheld watering for newly planted public trees would remain allowed.
