Watering Restrictions

The Town of Wellesley is required to implement a mandatory non-essential outdoor water use restriction  when the State declares a drought emergency. Status updates on drought emergencies will be posted around Town and on the Town’s website.  Level 1  drought restrictions allow limited non-essential outdoor water use before 9:00 a.m. and after 5:00 p.m. Odd numbered address may water on Tuesdays and even numbered addresses may water on Fridays. If the Massachusetts Drought Management Task Force declares a drought advisory (Level 3 or higher), non-essential outdoor water use will be banned entirely unless an exemption is provided by DPW.   

For more information about the drought status in Massachusetts, check out the State’s website at www.mass.gov/info-details/drought-status

Current Drought Status - Level 1 (updated 9/8/2025)

drought_status_map_september_9_2025

For the purposes of the State's Drought Management Plan, conditions are classified into five levels as shown below. These levels are based on drought indicators such as precipitation, stream flow, and weather forecasts. 

State Drought Condition (by Region)Non-essential Outdoor Water-Use Restriction
Level 0 (Normal)No Restrictions
Level 1 (Mild Drought)1 day per week watering:  Before 9 am or after 5 pm (to minimize evaporative loss). 
Level 2 (Significant Drought)Limit Outdoor watering to hand-held hoses or watering cans, before 9 am or after 5 pm
Level 3 (Critical Drought)Ban on all nonessential outdoor water use 
Level 4 (Emergency Drought)Ban on all nonessential outdoor water use 


Please visit the Water Conservation webpage to learn about ways to conserve water all year long. 

Consider the following actions:

  • Set up your irrigation system schedule to make sure that you water on the correct day.
  • Provide your lawn with one inch of water per week to promote deep root growth for a healthy, drought-resistant lawn. 
  • Check out the NRC website for helpful conservation information.
  • Sign up for the Water Customer Portal to track your water use and get alerts for unusual usage and leaks.