[HISTORY: Adopted by the Special Town Meeting
of the Town of Harwich 5-5-2009 by Art. 1. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This bylaw is adopted pursuant to the police
and home rule powers of the Town and also pursuant to the authority
conferred by MGL c. 40, § 21.
The purpose of this bylaw is to maintain the
public health, safety and welfare by protecting the Town's water supply
whenever there is in force a state of water supply emergency by providing
for enforcement of any restrictions, requirements, provisions or conditions
duly imposed by the Town of Harwich with the approval of the Department
of Environmental Protection (DEP).
For the purpose of this bylaw the following
terms shall have the meanings indicated:
The Town of Harwich's Board of Water Commissioners or its
designee or other department or board having responsibility for the
operation and maintenance of the water supply, the health agent, the
Town police, and the Fire Chief or his authorized designee.
A state of water supply emergency declared on petition of
the Town by the Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to
MGL c. 21G, §§ 15 through 17 or MGL c. 111, § 160
or by the Governor.
The following shall apply to all users of water
supplied by the Town of Harwich: following notification by the Town
of Harwich of the existence of a state of water supply emergency,
no person shall violate any provision, condition, requirement or restriction
included in a plan approved by the Department of Environmental Protection
which has as its purpose the abatement of a water supply emergency.
Notification of any provision, restriction, requirement, or condition
with which users of water supplied by the Town of Harwich are required
to comply to abate a situation of water emergency shall be sufficient
for the purposes of this bylaw if it is published in a newspaper of
general circulation within the Town of Harwich or by such other notice
as is reasonably calculated to reach and inform all users of Town
of Harwich water.
[Amended 5-1-2023 ATM by Art. 36]
Any person or entity that violates this bylaw
shall be liable to the Town of Harwich in the amount of $100 for the
first violation and $300 for each subsequent violation. Fines shall
be recovered by indictment or on complaint before the District Court
or by noncriminal disposition in accordance with MGL c. 40, § 21D.
Each separate instance of noncompliance following issuance of any
warning or citation pursuant to this section or each day of a continuing
violation shall constitute a separate offense.
Agents of the enforcement authority may enter
by owner permission or by warrant only any property for the purpose
of inspecting or investigating any violation of this bylaw or for
the purpose of enforcing the same.
The invalidity of any portion or provisions
of this bylaw shall not invalidate any other portion, provision or
section hereof.
This bylaw is adopted by the Town under its
police powers to protect public health and welfare and its powers
under MGL c. 40, § 21 et seq. and implements the Town's
authority to regulate water use pursuant to MGL c. 41, § 69B.
This bylaw also implements the Town's authority under MGL c. 40, § 41A,
conditioned upon a declaration of water supply emergency issued by
the Department of Environmental Protection.
The purpose of this bylaw is to protect, preserve
and maintain the public health, safety and welfare whenever there
is in force a state of water supply conservation or state of water
supply emergency by providing for enforcement of any duly imposed
restrictions, requirements, provisions or conditions imposed by the
Town or by the Department of Environmental Protection.
For the purpose of this bylaw the following
terms shall have the meanings indicated:
The Board of Water Commissioners, the Board of Health and
health agent, police officers of the Town and any other persons designated
by the Board of Water Commissioners to enforce this bylaw.
Any individual, corporation, trust, partnership or association,
or other entity.
A state of water supply conservation declared by the Town pursuant to § 300-11 of this bylaw.
A state of water supply emergency declared by the Department
of Environmental Protection under MGL c. 21G, §§ 15
to 17.
All public and private users of the Town's public water system,
irrespective of any person's responsibility for billing purposes for
water used at any particular facility.
The Town, through its Board of Water Commissioners, may declare a state of water supply conservation upon a determination by a majority vote of the Board that a shortage of water exists and conservation measures are appropriate to ensure an adequate supply of water to all water consumers. Public notice of a state of water supply conservation shall be given under § 300-13 of this bylaw before it may be enforced.
A declaration of a state of water supply conservation shall include one or more of the following restrictions, conditions, or requirements limiting the use of water as necessary to protect the water supply. The applicable restrictions, conditions, or requirements shall be included in the public notice required under § 300-13.
A.
Odd/even day outdoor watering. Outdoor watering by
water users with odd-numbered addresses is restricted to odd-numbered
days. Outdoor watering by water users with even-numbered addresses
is restricted to even-numbered days.
B.
Outdoor watering ban. Outdoor watering is prohibited.
C.
Outdoor watering hours. Outdoor watering is permitted
only during daily periods of low demand, to be specified in the declaration
of a state of water supply conservation and public notice thereof.
D.
Filling swimming pools. Filling of swimming pools
is prohibited.
E.
Automatic sprinkler use. The use of automatic sprinkler
systems is prohibited.
Notification of any provision, restriction, requirement or condition imposed by the Town as part of a state of water supply conservation shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the Town, or by such other means reasonably calculated to reach and inform all users of water of the state of water supply conservation. Any restriction imposed under § 300-12 shall not be effective until such notification is provided. Notification of the state of water supply conservation shall also be simultaneously provided to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
A state of water supply conservation may be terminated by a majority vote of the Board of Water Commissioners upon a determination that the water supply shortage no longer exists. Public notification of the termination of a state of water supply conservation shall be given in the same manner required by § 300-13.
Upon notification to the public that a declaration
of a state of water supply emergency has been issued by the Department
of Environmental Protection, no person shall violate any provision,
restriction, requirement, or condition of any order approved or issued
by the Department intended to bring about an end to the state of emergency.
[Amended 5-1-2023 ATM by Art. 36]
Any person violating this bylaw shall be liable
to the Town in the amount of $100 for the first violation and $300
for each subsequent violation, which shall inure to the Town. Fines
shall be recovered by indictment, or on complaint before the District
Court, or by noncriminal disposition in accordance with MGL c. 40,
§ 21D. Each day of violation shall constitute a separate
offense.
The invalidity of any portion or provision of
this bylaw shall not invalidate any other portion or provision thereof.
