Residents Push For Laxer Watering Regs

ORLEANS – Cape Cod’s drought status has dropped from a Level 2 to a Level 1. But does that mean that existing watering restrictions can be softened?

That’s the hope of residents who appeared before the town’s board of water and sewer commissioners May 20. They requested that some leeway be given to allow for outdoor watering one day a week.

In March, the board unanimously voted to adopt mandatory watering restrictions prohibiting all “non-essential” outdoor watering, including the watering of lawns and gardens via sprinklers; watering via automatic irrigation systems; washing vehicles; and washing outside hard surfaces such as driveways, sidewalks and decks. Exceptions include irrigation of parks and recreation facilities, irrigation of new lawns or plantings (May to September), the use of handheld hoses and drip irrigation for watering of “gardens, flowers and ornamental plants” and the watering of lawns using a handheld hose. 

Assistant Water Superintendent Susan Brown said that in January, water levels in some town wells were historically low. Since March, she said “significant increases” were made in water levels, resulting in the lowered drought status from the state.

But the town’s water supply still sits below the state’s “trigger level,” Brown said.  As the region’s peak season for water use nears, the board raised concerns that softening restrictions will only set back the town’s water conservation efforts. The board’s chair, Ginny Farber, said while the change in drought status is encouraging, it only captures “a snapshot in time.”

“I think what concerns me most right now is our wells have not recovered, and we’re going into our busiest, potentially driest, time of the year. And highest demand,” she said.

Orleans resident Tim Carroll submitted a signed petition to the board from residents seeking a change to a more permissive system of outdoor watering. Brown said that under the current Level 1 conditions, the town can allow outdoor watering up to two days a week for its three permitted wells. For five other wells that are “registered” with the state, one day of outdoor watering is allowed per week, she said. 

Board member Lynn Bruneau raised concerns about the damage that can be done to properties by continuing the existing restrictions during the growing season. Carroll agreed, saying that for many property owners, there are economic impacts that can come from banning outdoor watering during the summer. 

“I think people want to do the right thing,” he said. “We want to conserve, we understand conserving resources. I think that that’s abundantly clear. But I also think [Bruneau] makes a very good argument about how we’ve spent a lot of money and effort to cultivate our properties, whether it’s perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs.”

But board member Tim Counihan said native plantings can survive drought conditions better than some other plantings.

“If you plant plants that are more ornamental and water-thirsty, at some point they’re going to have a problem,” he said. “Those plants aren’t suitable to this environment at some level.”

Residents also raised issues with Orleans’ response to the drought compared to neighboring towns that draw from the same water lens. Chatham, Brewster and Harwich each allow outdoor irrigation two days a week on an odd-even day of the week schedule between 5 p.m. and 9 a.m.

Brown noted that those towns are currently operating on expired state permits, and that they could be subject to fines. 

Others pointed out that handheld watering and drip irrigation, which is currently allowed without restriction, is less efficient in terms of conserving water.

“So that’s the direction you’re asking me to go into, is to expend more water than go to a more efficient watering system,” said Kent Baannerslip.

Enforcement was also cited as an issue. Nello Trevisan particularly took issue with the town’s reliance on residents to report on their neighbors when they see violations.

“I’m very sorry, but I think you’re all above that,” he said.

Residents in attendance sought a change in restrictions at the May 20 meeting. But the board opted to wait until the next meeting of the drought advisory board on June 8 before making any decisions about changing the restrictions. Farber said if the Level 1 status holds and water levels continue to improve, the board could revisit the restrictions.

“Let’s get the report,” board member Mark Berson said. “Let’s get the information from the Commonwealth. Let’s meet in an ordinary, reasonable structured way and make a decision.”