ATTLEBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - Attleboro water reserves are at dangerously low levels, according to city officials.
“This is critical because what we’re looking at is the potential for people not to have water coming out of their faucet later on in the summer if all the reserves dry up,” said one official.
The Hoppin Hill Reservoir is one in seven that Attleboro uses to provide water to roughly 40,000 residents. While experts say it’s normal for water levels to drop in the summer, this has now become a crisis.
“Low reservoir levels, if they continue, we’re going to be looking at having issues meeting need for firefighting, sanitary use like toilet flushing, putting out brushfires and actual drinking,” said one person.
People living in the area said it’s alarming to see this reservoir so low.
“I’ve never seen it as low as it is right now,” one resident said.
The rules for watering posted on the city’s website include no outdoor watering of any kind is allowed between 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. This includes handheld watering, car washing and filling pools. Penalties for using water during times residents aren’t permitted to begin with a warning, then fines go up from there from $25 the second time, $100 the third, and every time after that will be $200.
Residents with a well do not have to follow the city’s watering schedule. There are also exceptions for watering food and livestock.
Attleboro’s mayor wants residents to know watering could make the reservoirs even lower, which could put everyone at risk.
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