Odd/Even Day Watering Restriction Put in Effect

The Burlington Board of Selectmen approved a temporary water restriction for non-essential outdoor watering that will be in effect until at least the end of September.

Superintendent of Public Works John Sanchez told the board that despite the low snow amounts and relatively dry early spring, the town water levels were keeping pace with demand. However, on July 28th a bolt of lightning struck near wells 10 and 11 at the Vine Brook Treatment Facility, knocking both off line. Both wells have been repaired but there were two weeks when the town lost full production from the facility.

"In order to maintain a minimum recommended level at the reservoir to meet water demand for the remaining of the summer I am requesting your approval to implement the second step in the proposed outdoor watering restriction," Sanchez told the board.

The details:

From now until Sept. 30, there is a watering restricting in effect to "odd/even" days. This means that if your address is an odd number, you can only water on odd days and if your address is an even number you can only water on even-numbered days. Further, watering can only take place at night between 5 p.m. and 9 a.m. All residents can water on the 31st of August.

Not all watering is restricted by this order. The following types of activities do fall under the restriction:

• Irrigation of lawns via sprinklers or automatic irrigation systems.
• Washing of exterior building surfaces, parking lots, driveways or sidewalks, except as necessary to apply surface treatments such as paint, preservatives, stucco, pavement or cement.

The following activities are not restricted by this order:

• Irrigation to establish a new lawn and new plantings.
• Irrigation of public parks and recreation fields by means of automatic sprinklers outside the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Irrigation of lawns, gardens, flowers and ornamental plantings by means of hand-held hose.
  
• To meet core functions of a business or commercial activity.
• Private wells. 

Fees:

Any person violating shall be issued a warning for the first violation. A second violation carries a $50 fine and there is a fine of $100 for the third and any subsequent violations.