Permitted Water Withdrawals
The Ipswich River’s water deficit is increasing, due to unsustainable management, development and landscaping practices. Two areas where the trend is worsening are summertime lawnwatering (where 15 million gallons a day are lost to evapotranspiration),and sanitary sewers, which export both dirty wastewater and clean groundwater from the watershed. The result, The Ipswich River is one of the most flow stressed rivers in the United States, going dry roughly every other year the past decade.
Municipal Water Use:
| Town | Type of Withdrawal | Where taken from? | # days permitted | Volume permitted* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beverly
(see Salem & Beverly) |
||||
| Boxford | Private groundwater | Throughout town | ||
| Danvers Water Department
(also supplies Middleton) |
3 surface water, 2 groundwater | Middleton Pond, Emerson Brook Res., Swan Pond, Wells 1 & 2 | 365 | 3.72 |
| Hamilton Water Department | 5 groundwater | Patton, Idlewood 1 & 2, School St., Caisson Wells | 365 | 1.03 |
| Ipswich Water Department | 5 groundwater | Winthrop 1, 2 & 3, Fellows Rd., Essex Rd. wells; reservoirs in Parker Basin | 365 | 0.2 |
| Lynn Water & Sewer Commission* | 1 surface water** | Divert Ipswich River in Lynnfield, add’l supply from No. Coastal Basin, add’l supply from MWRA | 180** | 2.62** |
| Lynnfield Center Water District | 2 groundwater | Glen Dr. bedrock well, Station 2 well | 365 | 0.29 |
| Middleton
(see Danvers) |
||||
| North Reading Water Department | 8 groundwater | Rt. 62 Well 1&2; Lakeside 2,3,4; Central St. grav & tubular, Rt. 125 wells | 365 | 1.11 |
| Peabody Department of Public Services | 3 surface water, 2 groundwater | Divert Ipswich River in Peabody, Suntaug Lake, Winona Pond, Pine St. & Johnson St. wells, add’l supply from No. Coastal Basin, add’l supply from MWRA | 365 | 3.89 |
| Reading DPW*** |
9 groundwater | Revay Well, 8 Gravel wells off Strout Ave. adjacent to river (Town Forest) |
365 | 2.57 |
| Salem & Beverly Water Supply Board | 4 surface water | Divert Ipswich River in Topsfield; Putnamville Res., Wenham Lake, Longham Res. | 365 | 11.31 |
| Topsfield Water Department | 2 groundwater | Perkins Row, North St. wells | 365 | 0.6 |
| Wenham Water Department | 2 groundwater | Pleasant St. Wells 1 & 2 | 365 | 0.39 |
| Wilmington Water Department | 8 groundwater | Chestnut St., Browns Well, Salem St., Barrows, Town Park, Butter’s Row 1&2, Shawsheen Ave. | 365 | 3.36 |
| Total authorized municipal withdrawals | 32.00 |
Non-Municipal Water Use:
| Non-Municipal Water User | Type of Withdrawal | Where taken from? | # days permitted | Volume permitted* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myopia Hunt Club | 1 surface water | Miles River, Hamilton | 210 | 0.17 |
| Corliss Brothers, Inc. | 1 surface water | Pond, Ipswich | 147 | 0.22 |
| Sagamore Spring Golf Club, Inc. | 2 surface water,
3 groundwater |
Lynnfield | 122 | 0.12 |
| Bostik Division-Emhart Corporation | 3 surface water,
3 groundwater |
Boston St., Middleton | 365 | 0.79 |
| The Flatley Co.-Ferncroft C. C. | 1 surface water | Off Locust St., Danvers | 153 | 0.12 |
| Thomson Club Inc. | 2 surface water,
1 groundwater |
Rt. 62, North Reading bedrock well | 210 | 0.15 |
| Meadow Brook Golf Club | 1 surface water,
1 groundwater |
Grove St., Reading | 90 | 0.16 |
| Total non-municipal | 1.73 | |||
| Total municipal and non-municipal authorized withdrawals | 75 sources | 33.73 |
*Figures in this column represent the number of millions of gallons per day (mgd) that may be withdrawn from the Ipswich River Basin.
**Lynn is authorized to withdraw an average of 5.31 mgd from Dec 1-May 31 only. The authorized withdrawal has been annualized to allow calculation/comparison of average year-round withdrawals. Lynn’s additional permitted volumes are adjusted in the same way.
***Reading stopped pumping water from their Ipswich wells in late 2006. Reading’s wells are now available as an emergency supply only. See our Fall 2006 newsletter (pdf) for a story on this important decision to restore flow to the Ipswich River.
In 2006, new water conservation standards were published by the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) and the Water Resources Commission. These standards establish updated goals for water use efficiency and conservation and offer techniques to water suppliers, municipalities, and citizens.
