City officials in Worcester announced a ban on nonessential outdoor water use on Wednesday, as central Massachusetts deals with critical drought status.
In a statement posted to social media, the city also ordered golf course operators to reduce irrigation of fairways to 40 percent of normal levels. Operators are also barred from irrigating roughs, landscaping, and ornamentals.
“In current conditions, even average daily water usage in combination with a lack of rainfall leads to depletion of the water supply,” the city wrote on its website. “Conserving water doesn’t just mean using less water, it also means using water more efficiently and YOU can make a difference.”
State officials have warned of worsening drought conditions in certain parts of the state, despite record levels of snowfall this winter.
On March 9, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority declared a Level 3 Critical Drought in the central region of Massachusetts, which is made up of Worcester County.
The MWRA also declared northeastern Massachusetts to be facing critical drought conditions. Officials in Cambridge and Hopkinton have announced similar restrictions on nonessential outdoor water usage within recent weeks.
Lower-level drought has spread across the state except for Martha’s Vineyard, according to the state’s online drought monitor.
Other parts of New England, such as New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont, have seen limited improvement from the “extreme drought” status several months ago,
The MWRA could not immediately be reached for comment.
Camilo Fonseca can be reached at camilo.fonseca@globe.com. Follow him on X @fonseca_esq and on Instagram @camilo_fonseca.reports.