Two weeks into a mandatory water ban, town officials say it is proving to be effective.
The town instituted its ban, which curtails the outdoor use of the municipal water supply on watering lawns, filling pools, or other activities, on Aug. 2.
“We have seen a drop in the amount of water we have produced,” Town Administrator Rodney Bartlett said. “I think it’s gone as well as we could have hoped.”
Bartlett said one of the methods officials use to judge the water supply in Peterborough is the volume of water rushing over the North Dam next to Route 202. He said for a time, there was no water at all.
“The rains have also been helpful in raising the water table,” he said.
For the most part, it appears that Peterborough residents have adhered to the ordinance. Police Capt. Ernest Belletete said he has had to notify the owners of two properties, Alltown Gas on Route 202 and People’s United Bank on Main Street that they were violating a town ordinance by watering. The companies did not know about the ban, he said.
“If we’re finding out that the town water is being used we make them aware,” he said. “It’s all about awareness right now.”
Bartlett said, “There will always be people who didn’t see it, didn’t know it.”
In addition to the drought, Peterborough’s water supply is suffering because one of its municipal well pumps is undergoing improvements.
“We’re working very quickly to get our new Summer Street pump into the system,” he said.
Other than that, Belletete said, echoing sentiment from others in the town, “It’d be nice to have a little bit more rain.”