Middleboro updates water restrictions amid less severe drought

MIDDLEBORO – The Middleboro Select Board approved a new set of water usage restrictions during its Monday, Aug. 17 meeting after the state declared Plymouth County to be in a mild drought. However, not much will change for residents.

The restrictions are “a little less than it used to be,” according to Select Board Member Brian Giovanoni.

The updated rules prevent residents from performing nonessential watering outside between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. They also restrict nonessential watering in houses with even numbered addresses to Tuesdays, and odd numbered addresses to Thursdays.

The Select Board asks residents to “conserve water whenever possible" in all oftheir water use.

All of the Southeast Region, which includes Plymouth County, was lowered to a Level 1, or "mild," drought. Dukes County and the Western Region of the state are not in a drought anymore. The rest of the state is still in a Level 2, or "significant," drought.

Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper said in a statement that Massachusetts received between 4.5 and 9.5 inches of rainfall in July. These levels are above average for much of the state for the month of July. “The rain we’ve seen over the past several weeks is a welcome relief,” she said in a statement.

The rain has helped replenish levels of water both in rivers and streams, and in soil. But the state has received less rainfall than average over the past two years, which has led to the current drought. It’s unclear what long-term effects the recent rainfall will have on water supplies.