Ongoing equipment maintenance will place constraints on the Town’s ability to provide treatment to some of its water sources. As a result the Town may need to ask water users to curtail use during certain high-use days or during emergencies.
While the Town has an abundant supply of water, the ability to treat the volume of water needed has been hampered by the need to rehabilitate one of the Town’s wells. The water system can meet the normal demand for water, but there may be times during the month of September or early October – our highest use months - when increased water use could strain the system.
To prepare for this possibility, the Town is primed to request a voluntary reduction of water during these peak-use times. The Town’s institutional partners (Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts) have already stepped up and stated they are willing to take steps to reduce their water usage – mainly through curtailing irrigation – to “shave the peak” during high use days. If needed, the Town will ask the general public to do the same by eliminating certain activities such as watering lawns, washing vehicles, using power washers, filling pools, etc.
If voluntary water restrictions are requested, a separate press release and notification through the Town’s website, notification tools and social media channels will be activated.
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Questions? Contact the Town Manager's Office at townmanager@amherstma.gov or 413-259-3002
