The past 24 hours have been an unusual and challenging experience for both Town of Lunenburg Water Utility customers, as well as the staff who work diligently to ensure clean, safe water is readily available. The Utility and Town staff are truly appreciative of everyone’s patience and understanding as we work with our partners to correct the situation. And thank you to all of the residents and businesses for your cooperation, as your support is crucial to our overall success.

A lot of progress has been made since the initial breach, and we are hopeful service levels will be back to normal soon. In the meantime, we will all need to work together to ensure significant water service can be maintained. To do so, we will need to continue to conserve well and if we do so, there will continue to be safe, reliable water.

The following directive outlines what we, as a community, need to do to ensure success in the short-term.

TOWN OF LUNENBURG
WATER CONSERVATION DIRECTIVE

Effective: Thursday, September 3, 2026 immediately, until further notice

Purpose

Due to the breach of the Dares Lake Dam and the resulting reduction in available water supply, the Utility has determined that immediate mandatory conservation measures are required to ensure the continued provision of safe and reliable water service for essential community needs, including drinking water, sanitation, firefighting capability, health care services, emergency response, and critical public infrastructure.

The Utility has further determined that failure to significantly reduce water consumption may jeopardize the Utility's ability to provide reliable continuous water service to its customers.

Accordingly, the following Water Conservation Directive is hereby issued.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Directive:

Essential Water Use means water required to:

• Protect human health and safety;
• Prevent environmental damage;
• Maintain critical public infrastructure; or
• Comply with legal or regulatory requirements necessary to protect public health, safety, or the environment.

Essential Water Use does not include water used solely to maintain commercial, industrial, manufacturing, institutional, recreational, educational, processing, production, or business operations.

Water Restrictions

Residential Customers

The following uses of municipal water are prohibited:

• Lawn and garden irrigation;
• Filling or topping up swimming pools, hot tubs, ponds, or water features;
• Washing vehicles, driveways, sidewalks, buildings, or other exterior surfaces;
• Any other non-essential outdoor use of water.

To further reduce demand:

• Keep showers short (under ten (10) minutes per person per day).
• Bathtubs should not be used except for infant care or medical necessity.
• Dishwashers and clothes washers shall be operated only with full loads.
• Residents are encouraged to postpone non-essential laundry.
• Hotels, motels, and similar facilities shall encourage guests to limit towel and linen change.

Commercial and Institutional Customers

Commercial and institutional customers shall:

• Cease all non-essential water use;
• Suspend landscape irrigation;
• Suspend vehicle and equipment washing except where required for health, safety, or regulatory compliance;
• Implement all reasonable conservation measures to minimize water consumption.

Industrial Customers

All industrial customers shall immediately reduce municipal water consumption to the minimum level required for Essential Water Use.

The following uses of municipal water are prohibited:

• Production processes;
• Manufacturing operations;
• Processing operations;
• Equipment operation where water consumption is not necessary for health, safety, environmental protection, or legal compliance;
• Any other water use determined by the Utility to be non-essential.

Municipal water may only be used for:

• Employee sanitation and hygiene;
• Fire protection systems;
• Worker health and safety requirements;
• Environmental protection requirements;
• Equipment preservation necessary to prevent damage to facilities or the environment; and
• Other uses specifically authorized in writing by the Utility.

Where the Utility determines that a customer's water consumption threatens the Utility's ability to provide reliable continuous water service, the Utility may impose additional restrictions, water use limits, or cease water service in accordance with the Utility Regulations.

Compliance and Enforcement

All customers shall comply with this Directive.

Customers who fail to comply with this Directive may have their water service suspended as authorized by the Utility Regulations. Water service shall not be restored until:

• The customer agrees to comply with the Directive; or
• The Directive is rescinded by the Utility.

Customers whose service is suspended for non-compliance shall be responsible for all applicable service restoration charges.

Utility Determination

The Utility has determined that current water supply conditions require extraordinary conservation measures and that continued consumption at normal usage levels by high-volume customers may impair the Utility's ability to provide reliable water service for essential community needs.

The protection of potable water supply, sanitation, firefighting capability, health services, and public safety shall take precedence over commercial and industrial production activities during the period this Directive remains in effect.

Further Information

Questions concerning this Directive should be directed to:

Town of Lunenburg Water Utility

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