Water Balance Program

The Applicant should be aware that the withdrawal of the water resources from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to serve the communities noted above are regulated and limited by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). In order to manage these water withdrawals within the limits established, regulated, and enforced by the DEP, water supplies for new developments and expanding water needs must be offset through a Water Balance Plan.

The Water Balance Program applies to all new and expanded water use projects, except (1) residential development with only a single service connection and (2) new and/or expanded water use developments that are expected to require less than 100,000 gallons per year of water. Applicants will have several options including:

1. Applicant-Directed Conservation – Applicant identifies and implements water conservation activities through retrofits approved by the Weir River Water System.
2. Water Banking – Applicant provides funding for a Water Bank that will be used by the Weir River Water System to fund conservation efforts.
3. Supplemental Source of Water Supply – (1) The Applicant identifies and develops a supplemental source of supply for the Weir River Water System and (2) the Applicant finances the development of a supplemental source of supply.

More detailed descriptions and requirements for each of these options are provided within this document. The Weir River Water System will work with the Applicant towards any of these options. A pre-application meeting is encouraged to explore the options. The development of supplemental source of supply is subject to further negotiations and agreement between the Weir River Water System and the Applicant.