Lawn sprinklers, garden hoses, car washing, pool filling and decorative fountains are all off-limits in Andover under Level 3 Critical Drought water restrictions effective Tuesday, July 28, the town's strictest outdoor water ban since adopting a new bylaw in 2025.
The restrictions, imposed under Andover's Outdoor Water Use Restriction Bylaw, have no set end date and will remain in place until drought conditions improve.
What's banned
Under Level 3, the following outdoor uses are prohibited:
- Watering lawns with sprinklers or irrigation systems
- Hand watering lawns, gardens and landscaping
- Filling swimming pools
- Washing vehicles at home
- Washing sidewalks, driveways and other paved surfaces (except when necessary for health or safety)
- Operating decorative fountains and other nonessential outdoor water uses
Exceptions are limited to uses necessary for public health and safety.
The jump from Level 2 to Level 3 eliminates the limited hand watering and drip irrigation of gardens that had still been permitted under the lower tier.
Massachusetts has been in a drought since October 2024. The state's Northeast Region, which includes Andover, is in critical drought status as declared by the state Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
For decades, Andover avoided the mandatory watering bans common in neighboring communities because it draws drinking water from both Haggetts Pond and the Merrimack River rather than depending solely on groundwater. That changed in 2025, when Town Meeting adopted the new bylaw to comply with the Massachusetts Water Management Act. Town officials warned that failing to adopt it could have jeopardized Andover's ability to renew its state water withdrawal permits.
The bylaw ties local restrictions directly to statewide drought declarations, a point that drew pushback during the 2025 Town Meeting debate. Then-Select Board member Kevin Coffey questioned whether statewide designations accurately reflected Andover's own water supply conditions.
Department of Public Works Director Carlos Jaquez responded that the town had little choice but to comply with state permit requirements. He said the town was not looking to aggressively enforce the restrictions and instead hoped residents would voluntarily conserve water.
The four-level system
Andover's bylaw establishes four tiers of restrictions:
- Level 1 (Mild Drought): Outdoor watering limited to one day per week, before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m.
- Level 2 (Significant Drought): Lawn watering and most outdoor irrigation prohibited; limited hand watering may be allowed.
- Level 3 (Critical Drought): Virtually all nonessential outdoor water use prohibited. This is the current level.
- Level 4 (Emergency Drought): All nonessential outdoor water use banned, with additional emergency conservation measures available.
What residents should know
No specific fines for violations have been published. Jaquez's comments at the 2025 Town Meeting suggest the town's approach leans toward voluntary compliance rather than aggressive ticketing.
Residents can check the current drought level and any changes to restrictions on the Town of Andover website.
