[HISTORY: Adopted by Town Meeting as indicated
in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 6-7-1993 ATM, Art. 5 (Section 28.01 of the 1993 General Bylaws)]
No person shall make any change in a water connection
without first obtaining a permit from the Water Department.
[Added 5-5-2008 ATM, Art. 39]
The fee for such permit shall be $300.
[Amended 5-5-2008 ATM, Art. 39]
Any person failing to comply with this bylaw
shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $300.
[Adopted 5-4-2010 ATM, Art. 34]
This bylaw is adopted by the Town under its police powers to
protect public health and welfare and its powers under MGL c. 40,
§ 21 et seq., and implements the Town's authority to
regulate water use pursuant to MGL c. 40, § 41A, conditioned
upon a declaration of a "Water Supply Emergency" issued by the Department
of Environmental Protection.
The purpose of this bylaw is to protect and preserve the public
health, safety and welfare whenever there is in force a State of Water
Supply Conservation or a State of Water Supply Emergency by providing
for enforcement of any duly imposed restrictions, requirements, provisions
or conditions imposed by the Town or by the Department of Environmental
Protection. This bylaw is also intended to protect and preserve the
public health, safety and welfare by restricting and prohibiting unauthorized
water use and/or unregistered water use by water users.
PERSONS — Any individual, corporation, trust,
partnership, association, or other entity which uses or is serviced
by the Town's public water system.
A State of Water Conservation declared by the Town pursuant to § 378-7 of this bylaw.
A State of Water Supply Emergency declared by the Department
of Environmental Protection under MGL c. 21G, §§ 15
through 17.
All activations of water services, fire hydrant (excluding
Fire Department personnel during fire emergencies), or other segments
of the public water system by any person not authorized by the Water
Department.
Any water utilized or taken from the public water system
without a means of calculating actual consumption.
Any public or private users of the Town's public water
system, irrespective of any person's responsibility for billing
purposes for water used at any particular residence or facility.
The Town through its Board of Water Commissioners may declare
a State of Water Supply Conservation upon a determination by a majority
vote of the Board, at a public meeting, that a shortage of water exists
and conservation measures are appropriate to ensure an adequate supply
and adequate water pressure to all water customers. Upon notification
to the public that a State of Water Supply Conservation has been declared,
no person shall violate any provisions, restrictions, or requirements
intended to bring about an end to the State of Water Supply Conservation.
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 public water supply. The applicable restrictions, conditions or requirements shall be included in the public notice required under § 378-10.
A.Â
Step One — odd/even day outdoor watering restrictions. All
outdoor water uses by water users with odd-numbered addresses is restricted
to odd-numbered calendar days. All outdoor water uses by water users
with even-numbered addresses is restricted to even-numbered calendar
days.
B.Â
Step Two — handheld hoses only. All outdoor water uses are
restricted to handheld hoses only. The odd/even day outdoor watering
restrictions shall also be observed.
C.Â
Step Three — outdoor watering hours. All outdoor water uses
are restricted to handheld hoses only between the hours of 7:00 a.m.
and 8:00 a.m. or between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. The odd/even day
outdoor watering restrictions shall also be observed.
D.Â
Step Four — outdoor watering ban. All outdoor water use is
prohibited for all uses.
Upon notification to the public that a declaration of a State
of Water Supply 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.
Notification of any provisions, restrictions, requirements or
conditions imposed by the Town as part of a State of Water Supply
Conservation, or by the Department of Environmental Protection as
part of a State of Water Supply Emergency, shall be given by the publication
of at least one display advertisement in a newspaper of general circulation
within the Town, by the posting of removable signs where any state
highway crosses the Town line, and by such other means reasonably
calculated to reach and inform all water users of the declaration
of a State of Water Supply Conservation and/or Emergency. Any restrictions
imposed shall not be effective until such notification is provided.
Notification of the declaration of a State of Water Supply Conservation
shall also be simultaneously provided to the Massachusetts Department
of Environmental Protection, in writing, by the Board of Water Commissioners.
A State of Water Supply Conservation may be terminated by a
majority vote of the Board of Water Commissioners, at a public meeting,
upon a determination that the water supply shortage no longer exists.
A State of Water Supply Emergency shall be terminated by the Department
of Environmental Protection upon a determination that the emergency
no longer exists. Public notification of the termination of a State
of Water Supply Conservation and/or Emergency shall be given by the
publication of at least one display advertisement in a newspaper of
general circulation within the Town, by the removal of all erected
water supply conservation and/or emergency signs, and by such other
means reasonably calculated to reach and inform all water users of
the termination of the State of Water Supply Conservation and/or Emergency.
No person, water user, or water consumer shall activate, or
cause to be activated, any water main and/or appurtenances to the
public water system without prior authorization of the Water Department.
A.Â
No person, water user, or water consumer shall activate, or cause
to be activated, any water main and/or appurtenances to the public
water system without first having a Water Department approved metering
device installed to calculate the amount of water utilized.
B.Â
No person, water user, or water consumer shall remove and/or alter
any metering device.
