Water restrictions now in effect

By Michele Morgan Bolton, Town Correspondent

Mandatory water restrictions have gone into effect for customers of the Dedham-Westwood Water District.

From now until further notice, Dedham residents may only water their lawns on Mondays and Thursdays. For customers in Westwood, lawn watering is only allowed on Tuesdays and Fridays, according to the ban.

No lawn watering is allowed in either of the two towns on Wednesdays, Saturdays, or Sundays.

Hand-held hoses may be used to water flower and vegetable gardens on any day without restriction, according to the terms of the ban.

Formed by a merger in 1986 to take over the Dedham Water District, founded in 1876, the Dedham-Westwood Water District supplies 12,800 service connections to approximately 38,000 people through 193 miles of main, according to information on its website.

On an average day, according to statistics, the district, comprising 14 wells, six in Westwood and nine in Dedham, pumps about 4.25 million gallons of water.

The district has an emergency connection with the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, the city of Boston, and the town of Norwood when needed, to ensure public health and safety during peak water use periods.

For more information, call the district at 781-329-7090.