As storm looms, Topsfield enacts water restrictions

By Mike Stucka
Staff Writer

September 06, 2008 05:30 am

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TOPSFIELD — The skies giveth, and the skies taketh away. So does the Topsfield Board of Water Commissioners.

Yesterday, the town shifted to mandatory water restrictions expected to last at least a week and a half — even though a tropical storm could bring up to 4 inches of rain this weekend.

Water Superintendent Greg Krom said the mandatory restrictions are required under the town's water withdrawal permit from the state. Despite the forecast for rain, the Ipswich River has dropped to low levels, pushing Topsfield, Danvers, Middleton and other area communities into restrictions. Krom said residents can get updates through the www.TopsfieldPublicWorks.org Web site.

"The board will re-evaluate the need for the restrictions once stream flow is above the mandatory threshold for at least 10 consecutive days," Krom said in an e-mail.

The town had been under voluntary restrictions for a month.