entering natick sign

entering natick sign

Natick Report

More than you really want to know about Natick, Mass.

  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Eat
  • Summer Camp
  • Private Schools in Natick & beyond
  • Public schools, sponsored by Sexton
  • Letters to the editor
  • Guidelines for letters
  • Sports schedule & results
  • Embracing diversity
  • Charities/Community
  • Arts
  • Events
  • Kids
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Beyond Natick
  • History
  • Government
  • Seniors
  • Natick Nest
  • Fire & police scanner
  • Natick snow plowing services
 
Needham Bank, Natick
 

Trickle-down effect: Contaminated drinking water leads Natick to ban non-essential outdoor watering

May 21, 2021 by Bob Brown 2 Comments

The Town of Natick, which is in the midst of addressing elevated levels of Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in its drinking water,  has now declared a ban on non-essential outdoor watering. The town has been forced to do this by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection.

Natick has turned off wells with elevated levels of these so-called “forever chemicals,” which can have harmful effects on people and the environment over time. In order to maintain its water supply in light of the contamination situation, as well as general drought conditions, the town is putting in place the ban that it says could last anywhere from 1 to 6 months.

Natick is getting plenty of company in addressing PFAS, and the state just announced $2M in grants to help communities with this issue (that’s not going to go far). Wellesley and other communities have been watching Natick as they formulate their plans.

 

“The mandatory non-essential outdoor water use ban will limit daily demand on the Natick water system to minimize PFAS exposure and ensure adequate water is available to meet the public health and safety needs of the Town. This measure will assist in maintaining water levels in the storage tanks for fire protection and normal consumption use,” according to the town.

So no in-ground irrigation/sprinklers or even garden hoses with attached sprinklers.

Here’s what you can use outdoor watering for,  between the hours of 5pm and 9am:

  • For health or safety reasons;
  • By regulation;
  • For the production of food and fiber; (yeah, yeah, I eat those dandelions…)
  • For the maintenance of livestock;
  • To meet the core functions of a business (for example, irrigation by golf courses as necessary to maintain tees and greens, and limited fairway watering,
  • Irrigation by plant nurseries;
  • Agricultural operations as necessary to maintain stock or establish new plantings,
  • Wash equipment to prevent damage and/or maintain performance,
  • Pest management

water ban may 2021


Ask about Advertising on Natick Report.


Subscribe to our Natick Report daily email

Filed Under: Environment, Government, Health

Comments

  1. John says

    May 30, 2021 at 5:08 pm

    PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY THE SPRINKLERS ARE STILL ON WATERING THE GRASS, at NEW FIRE STATION. ????? AND ITS BEEN RAINING FOR DAYS !!!!!

    Reply
  2. JOH says

    July 16, 2021 at 7:55 pm

    Why is it Wayland is giving free water to 1/2 its population, yet Natick blames its residents and makes a ban, so they can play w’ack a mole with Elm Bank getting e coli (aka poopy water)…and then tell us everythings ok elsewhere?
    Is this the result of global warming? The last forever chemical readings were later said to be false. Of course, no one ever talks about the cancerous PCE chemicals under the Natick army labs coming onto property and people on middle lake by now.
    I’ll tell you one thing..the water doesn’t care if its safe and fit to drink, and probably neither does NWD!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


Tip us off!

Please send news tips, photos, ideas to natickreport@gmail.com

If you’d like to contribute $ to support our independent journalism venture, please do….

Advertisements

Categories

  • Animals
  • Art
  • Bacon Free Library
  • Beyond Natick
  • Books
  • Boston Marathon
  • Business
  • Camps
  • Charity/Fundraising
  • Community
  • Construction
  • COVID-19
  • Education
  • Election
  • Embracing diversity
  • Employment/careers
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Fashion
  • Fire
  • Food
  • Gardens
  • Government
  • Health
  • History
  • Holidays
  • Housing
  • Kids
  • Letters to the editor
  • Media
  • Military
  • Morse Institute Library
  • Music
  • Natick Election 2022
  • Natick Historical Society
  • Natick History Museum
  • Natick Mall
  • Natick Nest
  • Natick track
  • Neighbors
  • Obituaries & remembrances
  • Opinion
  • Outdoors
  • Parents
  • Police & crime
  • Real estate
  • Recycling Center
  • Religion
  • Restaurants
  • Schools
  • Seniors
  • Shopping
  • South Natick Dam
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Theater
  • Town election 2021
  • Town Election 2023
  • Town Meeting
  • Transportation
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Vacation
  • Veterans
  • Volunteering
  • Voting
  • Weather
lion publishers
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Get our email newsletter

* indicates required
Our newsletter is free, though we gladly accept contributions to support our work.

Most Read Posts

  • Natick business buzz: Soap Dental opens wide; Anthology senior living hosts swanky grand opening
  • Friday is letters to the editor day in Natick
  • Natick celebrates Town Clerk Diane Packer upon retirement, readies to appoint successor
  • Natick makes way for accessible vehicles on Cochituate Rail Trail
  • Natick seeks volunteers to plant tiny forest at high school

Click image to read The Swellesley Report

The Swellesley Report

Upcoming Events

Oct 13
8:30 am - 10:30 am

Dedham Country Day School Classroom Observation Day

Oct 14
9:00 am - 1:30 pm

55+ Health and Wellness Fair

Oct 14
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Private school open house—Boston Trinity Academy

Oct 15
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

MetroWest Out of the Darkness Community Walk

Oct 15
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Charles River School Open House in Dover, pre-K-8

View Calendar

Pages

  • Letters to the editor on Natick Report
  • Natick community gardens
  • South Natick Dam Park (Charles River waterfall/spillway)
  • Guidelines for Natick Report letters to the editor
  • Natick election 2023—guidelines for promoting candidates and ballot questions
  • Natick’s 2023 Boston Marathon charity runners
  • Natick, Massachusetts libraries
  • Comment Policy
  • Bacon Free Library in Natick, hours for winter 2023
  • Morse Institute Library in Natick—hours for winter 2023
  • Resources for seniors in Natick, Mass.
  • Natick Report corrections policy
  • Scenic Roads in Natick
  • Where to stay in Natick, Mass. (hotels, inns)
  • Private Schools in Natick (and beyond)
  • Natick Summer Camps (and beyond)
  • Where to eat in Natick, Mass: more that 70 dining options
  • Natick, Mass., history
  • Natick government
  • Natick No-Nos
  • Embracing diversity in Natick
  • Where to worship in Natick
  • Kid stuff (sports, clubs, activities in Natick, Mass.)
  • Contribute to Natick Report
  • Natick Little Free Libraries
  • Natick public schools
  • Natick obituaries, September 2023
  • Where to sled in Natick, Mass.
  • Natick COVID-19 & vaccine news
  • Natick’s zip code & post offices
  • Natick charitable and community action groups
  • Top 10 things to do in Natick, Mass.
  • Natick Arts/Entertainment
  • About Natick Report
  • Advertise on Natick Report
  • Natick rules: Chickens yes, roosters no
  • Natick Election 2023, political candidates advertising
  • Natick election 2022—candidate interviews

© 2023 Natick Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login