July 24, 2026 Submitted By Glen Mangurian
Brown lawns. Wilting plants. No car washing. No filling swimming pools. Once again, Hingham is living under strict water restrictions.
Residents naturally ask the same question every summer: Where has all our water gone—and why doesn’t Boston seem to have the same problem?
This summer has been exceptionally hot and dry. Through July 20, Boston had already recorded 13 days of 90°F or higher, and below-normal rainfall has left Hingham’s local water supply under severe stress. Scientists believe climate change is making summers like this more common.
To better understand why Hingham is again in this position, I contacted Russell Tierney, Managing Director and Superintendent of the Weir River Water System. His answers explain both the challenges we face today and what’s being done to prepare for tomorrow. Here are answers to some common questions.
Why aren’t Boston and Quincy’s water restricted like Hingham?
Boston and many of its metropolitan cities and towns receive water from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority’s (MWRA) Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs, two enormous protected reservoirs with a combined storage capacity of approximately 475 billion gallons that are far less vulnerable to local drought. Hingham relies almost entirely on rainfall, Accord Pond and shallow groundwater within the Weir River watershed.
Where does Hingham’s water come from?
Hingham, Hull and North Cohasset are served by the Weir River Water System (WRWS). During the summer, about 73% of our water comes from nine shallow groundwater wells and 27% from Accord Pond. Water travels through 194 miles of water mains before being treated and delivered to homes and businesses. In winter, the system relies almost entirely on groundwater.
Why is the water system under stress?
Tierney explained that the system is operating near its annual pumping capacity of 2.2 billion gallons.
The limiting factor this summer isn’t pumps or treatment capacity—it’s that groundwater levels have fallen so low that the wells simply can’t produce more water.
During the morning peak demand, storage tanks are drawn down to near critical levels before they can recover. Outdoor irrigation accounts for up to 35% of total water demand. The Weir River Water System is currently under a Level 2 Water Conservation Plan, which prohibits most outdoor water use, including lawn irrigation, vehicle washing and filling swimming pools.
What’s being done?
- Maintaining the system – While our pumps are strong enough to pump an adequate supply, pumps and wells are inspected, repaired and tested every winter.
- Reducing water loss – Unaccounted-for water has been reduced from 23% (when the system was acquired) to under 15% through leak detection and improved metering.
- Increasing supply – The system is adding a replacement well, constructing additional storage, and pursuing a long-term connection to the MWRA.
- Planning ahead – Engineers are studying the raw water mains to identify future capacity improvements.
Tierney said the system is approaching its practical capacity, making additional water supplies—such as a future MWRA connection—increasingly important as Hingham continues to grow.
The Bottom Line
This year’s restrictions are not the result of poor planning or equipment failures. They are largely the consequence of a prolonged drought affecting our water system that depends heavily on shallow groundwater. The Weir River Water System can’t make it rain, but it can responsibly manage the water we have. Tierney’s team is expanding storage, reducing water loss, studying connections to the MWRA, and planning for the future.
What can residents do?
In the meantime, the rest of us have an important role to play. By complying with the restrictions, we help protect Hingham’s drinking water supply for everyone. Hingham has published an informative water conservation guide with practical suggestions for reducing water use. If each of us conserves a little more this summer, we’ll help ensure that everyone has the water they need until Mother Nature begins cooperating again. Brown lawns are temporary. A reliable drinking water supply is not.
Glenn Mangurian is a senior Hingham resident of 42 years. He welcomes your comments and can be reached at gmangurian@comcast.net
But yet there are no restrictions on the use of ‘private’ wells that are sucking the very same aquifers that Hingham relies on dry. Everyday, I see many sprinkler systems pouring gallon after gallon of precious water on country club quality yards.
Report them and I am told they have ‘private’ wells. Which, evidently means that they are unenforceable because owners have spent thousands of dollars.
WRWS and the town should show some backbone and shut down the ‘private’ wells users.
Several readers have emailed me thoughtful questions about private wells. The two most common are:
• Do private wells draw from the same underground water as the Weir River Water System?
• Are private wells subject to the same water restrictions as homes connected to town water?
To answer these questions, I researched how private wells and underground aquifers work. I learned there are two primary types of wells:
Shallow Gravel Pack Wells Deep Bedrock Wells
Typically 30–100 feet deep Typically 200–800+ feet deep
Draw water from sand and gravel deposits left by glaciers Draw water from fractures in solid bedrock
Usually produce high volumes of water Usually produce lower, more variable amounts
Recharge quickly from rain and snowmelt Recharge slowly through fractures in rock
More susceptible to drought Less affected by short-term drought, though still limited
More vulnerable to surface contamination Better protected from surface contaminants
Do private wells use the same underground water as the Weir River Water System?
Sometimes—but not always.
The Weir River Water System relies primarily on nine shallow gravel pack wells, which can produce large volumes of water under normal conditions. Hingham owns approximately 250 acres to protect these wells and the surrounding water supply. A private shallow gravel pack well located near—but outside—the protected area may draw from the same aquifer as a municipal well. In contrast, a deep bedrock well taps a different water source and generally is not connected to the town’s gravel aquifer.
Are private wells subject to the same water restrictions as homes on town water?
Generally, no.
Private wells must be registered with the Hingham Board of Health and meet state and local construction and water quality standards. Once installed, however, homeowners generally have the legal right to use water from their own wells. This often leads to a reasonable question: Why can’t I water my lawn while my neighbor with a private well can?
The answer is that the two systems operate under different legal frameworks, even if their groundwater is hydraulically connected. Hingham’s drought restrictions apply primarily to customers served by the municipal water system. The Town may encourage voluntary conservation by private well owners, but it has very limited authority to regulate how much water they pump. Most private wells are exempt from Massachusetts water withdrawal permitting and are governed primarily by state and local health regulations rather than municipal water withdrawal rules.
“This year’s restrictions are not the result of poor planning or equipment failures. They are largely the consequence of a prolonged drought affecting our water system that depends heavily on shallow groundwater.”
What? These two sentences are in direct contradiction to each other. A fundamental responsibility of WRWS is adequate planning such that the town’s water supply is not – repeatedly, no less – jeapordized by dought.
It’s like saying ‘I don’t cause car accidents because I’m a bad driver, I just often drive recklessly’. These people need to be held to a higher standard.