Drought conditions worsening in Berkshires

On Thursday, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper officially declared a Level 2 – Significant Drought in the westernmost region of Massachusetts, citing ongoing drops in rainfall, streamflow, and groundwater levels. She reiterated calls for water conservation, which under Level – 2 conditions includes limiting outdoor water use to only handheld hoses or watering cans after 5 p.m. or before 9 a.m. The entire commonwealth is currently in the Significant Drought designation, save for the Northeast Region, which has reached Level 3 – Critical Drought. In those conditions, all non-essential outdoor watering is prohibited and water use overall should be aggressively reduced.