Programs and Projects
Water Wise Communities

IRWA has developed a new resource for communities: Water Wise Communities - A Handbook for Municipal Managers in the Ipswich River Watershed. Water wise communities are cities and towns that recognize that wise management of water resources is essential to quality of life, economic opportunity, and ecological health.

A checklist identifies 20 water-wise tools that communities can use to protect water supplies, manage stormwater, preserve open space, educate residents, and restore the Ipswich River and its tributary streams. Fact sheets provide an overview of each tool, local examples to illustrate its application, and links to additional resources.

The Water Wise Communities handbook is available in PDF format or as an interactive web portal:

Click here to enter the Water Wise Communities Online Handbook.

Click here to download the complete handbook in PDF format.

The Water Wise Communities handbook was produced with generous support from the Essex County Community Foundation, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, Massachusetts Environmental Trust, New England Biolabs Foundation, and US Environmental Protection Agency.