Dry Weather Forces Towns To Increase Water Restrictions

CHELMSFORD (CBS) - It's been dry out there.  How dry?

"Normally we average four inches of rain in June," said Todd Melanson of the Chelmsford Water District. "We've had 1.5 inches for the entire month."

The Chelmsford Water District supplies water to 80-percent of residents in Chelmsford. They are not part of the town government.

Thursday morning they sent out an automated phone call to customers saying that they've increased their water restrictions from Level One to Level Two.

Level Two means outside watering only between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. and residents can only water on odd/even days depending on side of the street they live on.

Lawns are getting brown but many homeowners want green grass lawns for their 4th of July celebrations. But Todd Melanson says safety comes before aesthetics.

He says the first two priorities are providing clean drinking water and making sure the water pressure is not too low for fire hydrants.

Homeowners can face fines if they don't comply but Melanson says residents have been very good at obeying the restrictions.

Melanson says some ways homeowners can conserve water would be to take shorter showers and only hand-water the spots of your lawn that really need it.