The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has declared a Level 3 – Critical Drought in the Northeast and Central Regions of the Commonwealth, which includes the City of Woburn.
With over five months of below normal rainfall, drought has set in all across the state, and intensified in some regions. Streamflow is severely impacted with dry stream beds and ponding; drought-induced fire danger is on the rise; and drought conditions are starting to impact our farms, with losses in soil moisture, more heavy irrigation needed and initial signs of crop loss.
What Should You Do?
There are several things each of us can do to help. Conserving and scaling back our water use will go a long way toward minimizing the impact of drought. These can include:
- Minimize water use at home
- Run dishwashers and clothes washers at full capacity (dishwashers use less water than hand-washing!)
- Take shorter showers
- Fix leaks
- Limit outdoor watering
- Limit car washing
Any or all of the above can really help lessen the impact the drought has long term. Now is a great time to fix that leaky hose spigot or toilet you keep forgetting about!
For more tips on conserving water at home, click here!
For more drought info click here, or visit the state’s drought status page.