Water Supply

City of Haverhill Urges Voluntary Water Conservation Measures During Drought Watch

Haverhill, MA — September 17, 2025 — The City of Haverhill is urging residents and businesses to take voluntary steps to conserve water as local reservoirs continue to experience below-average levels.

As of September 17, the water level at Kenoza Lake is approximately 107.8 feet—about 1.8 feet below the 35-year average and roughly six feet from full. Due to ongoing dry conditions and without supplemental water from Crystal Lake and Millvale Reservoir, Kenoza Lake levels will drop more rapidly.

Under Chapter 250 of the City Code, Kenoza Lake’s current level places the City in the Drought Watch Zone, which allows the City to request voluntary water conservation measures from all water consumers.

Recommended Voluntary Water Conservation Measures

Smart Water Use Outdoors

• Water early or late: Water plants only before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. to reduce evaporation.
• Focus on essentials: Limit watering to vegetable gardens, edible plants, and newly planted trees or lawns.
• Use efficient tools: Choose drip irrigation, soaker hoses, watering cans, or hoses with shut-off nozzles.
• Skip the lawn or turn off your irrigation system: Do not water established lawns — let them go dormant; they will recover naturally especially this time of year.

Smart Water Use Indoors

• Fix leaks: Repair dripping faucets, toilets, and outdoor spigots immediately.
• Shorter showers: Aim for five minutes or less.
• Full loads only: Run dishwashers and washing machines only when full.
• Turn it off: Don’t let water run while brushing teeth, shaving, or washing dishes.

Business & Community Tips

• Car washing: Use commercial car washes that recycle water instead of washing at home.
• Restaurants & offices: Serve water only upon request, check for leaks, and install low-flow fixtures.
• Construction & landscaping: Limit water use for dust control and avoid unnecessary spraying.

The City of Haverhill appreciates the community’s efforts to conserve water during this drought period. Working together, we can help protect our water supply and avoid mandatory restrictions.

For more information on the City’s water supply status and conservation tips, please visit https://www.haverhillma.gov/living-here/waterwastewater-services/water-conservation/ .

This page contains information about the city’s water supply which includes a description of the source water system and items relative to any ongoing water restrictions.  Information on water conservation can be found on the city’s water conservation webpage.

For information regarding water use restrictions please refer to Chapter 250 of Haverhill's Ordinances.

System Description

The public water supply for the City of Haverhill is obtained through a system of surface water supply reservoirs with Kenoza Lake being the terminal reservoir.  This is where water is withdrawn and treated in the city’s water treatment plant prior to being pumped into the water distribution system for delivery to water customers.

The primary series of water supply reservoirs for Haverhill’s water supply is Kenoza Lake, Millvale Reservoir, Crystal Lake, Round Pond, and Winnekenni Basin.  This system of reservoirs has a State permitted withdrawal of 7.1 million gallons per day averaged over the course of the entire year.

Haverhill also has a series of registered emergency water supply reservoirs.  The emergency system consists of Johnson Pond, Chadwick Pond, and Hovey’s Pond.  While these supplies were once an integral part of the city’s water supply they were removed from primary supply service in 1980.  As a result of the city’s 2003 Water Management Act permit, Johnson Pond was removed as an active source by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). Any future use of this emergency system would require authorization from the MassDEP as well as the use of portable rental water treatment units.

The next generation of Haverhill’s water supply lies in groundwater withdrawn from a well or series of wells drilled into the sand and gravel deposits along and under the Merrimack River.  Preliminary water supply study efforts have considered utilizing the city’s existing emergency sources but the most feasible and cost effective option is to develop a high yielding ground water supply.  On May 29, 2012 the City Council approved an order that accepted the recommendation of Mayor Fiorentini’s Water Supply Committee to advance work on a ground water supply.  Since that authorization the city has been working on exploring various sites along the riverbank and is in the process of preparing to construct a large diameter test well that can eventually be transitioned to a public water supply well once all applicable testing and permitting is complete.  This new ground water supply would be incorporated into the city’s existing primary water supply reservoir system and eventually be utilized to increase the daily withdrawal limit of 7.1 million gallons per day.  Download our project summary document for more detail on this water supply project.