The Lynnfield Center Water District (LCWD), in an ongoing effort to combat the effects of a summer drought and higher-than-average daily consumption levels, has announced it will be supplementing its water supply through a Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) mutual aid interconnection with the neighboring Lynnfield Water District (LWD).
“The average daily consumption has been more than usual since March and April with kids not in school and at home and people working from home in the spring,” said LCWD Superintendent John Scenna. “Then in June, we had our first run of dry weather. With people still at home doing outside projects that required water, the demand on LCWD has been significantly higher than the system could provide. Normally we rely on the storage tanks for the difference, but the tanks never had a chance to recover.”
Scenna said the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has worked diligently with the LCWD in approving emergency plans that have been put in place. Scenna said LCWD received permission in mid-July to activate the Phillips Road pump station to help alleviate fire protection concerns and provide water required by elevated demand. That permit, originally in effect for 10 days and later extended to 60 days, is set to expire next week.
“In emergencies, the DEP preference is to supplement systems with water from the MWRA as there is an abundance of water there. Right now, our only goal this week and next is to let our customer base know that we are about to make a change in the way they get their water. Activating the pump station helped stabilize things by mid-July, but all water use restrictions are still in place and this water sold to us by MWRA is just for emergencies.”
Scenna said that while MWRA’s water is treated differently from LCWD’s, both are safe and meet EPA standards. MWRA uses chloramines (a mild and long-lasting disinfectant combining chlorine and ammonia), while LCWD uses free chlorine. MWRA water also has a higher pH (approximately 9-9.5) to control corrosion and reduce possible lead at customer’s tap.
LCWD says that water containing chloramines is no different from chlorinated water for most normal uses and is perfectly safe to drink. Chloramines need to be removed before use in a dialysis machine, and must be removed from water before it is used in aquariums or fish ponds. LCWD customers are advised to contact LCWD if they have any concerns related to chloramines.
Scenna said the use of MWRA water is a proactive approach to help maintain water pressure in the LCWD through the summer months when water use is at its highest.
LCWD will notify customers 24 to 72 hours prior to introducing MWRA water using the Town of Lynnfield’s Code Red Alert System. Residents are advised that, if they are not registered with this system, to go to the Town of Lynnfield website to register. It is expected that MWRA water will be used for a minimum of seven to 10 days.
LCWD implemented a Level 5 water restriction in early June, banning all outdoor water use to ensure ample water supply for essential indoor use, as well as adequate water pressure to meet potential demand for fire suppression. Water consumption from June 1-21 increased 30 percent over the same period in 2019, and daily consumption has been consistently 10-12 percent higher overall since the beginning of stay-at-home advisories due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the state level, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Kathleen Theoharides, citing above-normal July temperatures and more than three months of below-normal rainfall, declared a Level 2 — Significant Drought in Massachusetts last week.
EEA said that the Commonwealth recorded the second hottest July on record last month. Rainfall was scattered across the state with only a few areas receiving above-normal precipitation; most areas were in a deficit by one to three inches. Meanwhile, temperatures throughout the first two weeks of August have been two to four degrees above normal throughout Massachusetts, with warmer than normal temperatures predicted in the coming weeks and months.
For more information, please contact LCWD at (781) 334-3901, visit the LCWD website at www.LCWD.US, or email [email protected].