Water Conservation Regulation
The Water Division of the Pepperell Department of Public Works, in order to assure an adequate supply of water for domestic uses and fire protection, hereby adopts the following regulation:

Effective May 1st through October 31st of every year, outdoor watering of any kind is restricted to even numbered days of the month for homes with an even address and odd numbered days for homes with an odd address.
Violations will be subject to a fine.

Should conditions require, the Board of Public Works will declare a water emergency in which case all outdoor water use will be banned. This essential outside water conservation program should be effective enough so as to make a full-mandatory ban unnecessary except under extreme circumstances. All water customers are strongly encouraged to comply with the program to help avoid more extreme measures of water conservation.
Violations will be subject to a fine.

The Pepperell Water Division has implemented a newly-adopted billing tier structure which will significantly increase water bills for those customers whose water use is excessive.


Tiered Billing System
As of January 1, 2008, the Department of Public Works - Water Division uses a tiered fee schedule. For customers who consume an average amount of water have water rates on a standard tier. However, customers using high water users will see higher billing rates. MassDEP guidelines require that not more than 65 gallons per person per day be used by all residential customers. This quantity is not much if significant outdoor water use is factored in.


Water Conservation Tips

Indoor Water Conservation Fact Sheet

Kitchen:

• Only use the dishwasher for full loads.Don't wash dishes under continuous running water.  Use wash and rinse basins.
• Use minimal detergent, so you don't have to rinse as much.
• Wash vegetables in a pan of water instead of under a running faucet.  Re-use that water to water household plants.
• Don't use in-sink garbage disposals.  Instead, dispose of food waste in a compost pile.
• Check faucets and pipes for leaks.  One leaky faucet can use up to 4,000 gallons of water per month.
• Install faucet aerators which reduce water usage by up to 60%.
• Thaw frozen food in refrigerator, rather than using running water.

Bathroom:

• Turn off faucet while brushing your teeth, washing your hands or shaving.
• Check toilets for leaks. Add about 12 drops of food coloring into the tank. If color appears in the bowl one hour later, there is a leak.
• If purchasing a new toilet, install a low flow model.
• If your toilet is not a low-flow model, install a water saving displacement device in the tank to reduce the amount of water needed to flush.
• Keep showers short and use a low-flow showerhead. A flow restrictor lets you maintain the faucet setting and shut off water at the shower head while soaping and shampooing.
• Turn off all faucets tightly.
• Flush toilet only when necessary.  Avoid using toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket.

Laundry:

• Only run the washing machine for full loads.
• When purchasing a new washing machine, buy a water saving model that can be adjusted to load-size and has a "suds-saving" option. New models use 40 percent less water than older models.
• Outdoor Water Conservation Fact Sheet

Lawn:

• Mow lawn to 2 or 3 inches long to provide natural ground shade.Mow often.  This will prevent excessive shock that can cause grass to turn yellow.Keep mower blades sharp and mow only when grass is dry.Leave grass clippings on your lawn.Cut back on fertilizer.If your lawn turns brown during hot spells, it is not dead, but dormant.Lawns require no more than 1 inch per week; apply slowly to prevent runoff.Water lawn and garden in early morning when evaporation is lowest.Avoid watering when windy.Avoid watering the driveway and sidewalks.If you have an automatic sprinkler system, install a rain gauge sensor to your system. Shut off automatic sprinkler system after any substantial rainfall.Use drought-tolerant and native plants. 
• Use mulch around shrubs and trees to save moisture.

Other Outdoor:

• Cover pools and spas when not in use to prevent excess evaporation.Sweep down decks and driveways instead of hosing them down.When washing car, use hose with a shutoff nozzle.  Turn off hose between rinses.Check for leaks in outdoor faucets, pipes or hoses.
• Save rain water to water plants.