Rockport, MA DPW

06/04/2026

06/01/2026

Public Hearing Notice: Water & Sewer Rate Setting meeting

The Town of Rockport DPW Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing to discuss proposed water and sewer rate adjustments for Fiscal Year 2027. Like many communities, Rockport is facing rising operational and infrastructure costs, along with ongoing budget pressures tied to maintaining and improving essential water and sewer systems.

Residents are encouraged to attend, learn more about the proposed rates, and share feedback before any final decisions are made.

Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at 6:00 PM via Zoom

Meeting access information will be posted on the Town website prior to the hearing.

05/29/2026

STOP before you toss in a recycle bin!
These items do NOT belong in your recycling bin or our recycling trailer. When the wrong things go in, they cause hazards at the sorting facility. Tangled items are dangerous. There are real people working that machinery.
When in doubt, leave it out.

Questions? Email us at [email protected] or visit www.rockportma.gov for the full list of proper disposal options.
Thank you, Rockport!

05/27/2026

Holiday Hours at the Transfer Station and Town Hall

Plan ahead: The Transfer Station will have adjusted hours for the upcoming observed State holidays.

Closed Friday, June 19
Closed Saturday, July 4
Open Friday, July 3 -- normal hours
Closed Monday and Thursday as usual

Town Offices
Town Offices will be closed on Friday, June 19 and Friday, July 3.

(Tom Barrasso Motif Golden Sunset photo credit)

05/27/2026

The Rockport Department of Public Works reminds residents to follow the water restrictions effective as of May 22nd, 2026. The restriction is required as the Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs declared a critical drought for northeastern Massachusetts. The restriction will remain in place until further notice. Please visit www.rockportma.gov or https://www.mass.gov/info-details/drought-status for more information.
1. Odd / Even Watering Days - Outdoor water use is limited to an Odd / Even basis. House addresses ending in odd numbers can water their gardens on calendar days that end in odd numbers, and house addresses ending in even numbers can use water on even number calendar days.
2. No non-essential water use from 9 am to 5 pm
3. Residents using well water should display a sign on their property visible to the street that indicates well water is being used. In addition, they must register their well with the Board of Health and Department of Public Works.

Find out the current drought status in Massachusetts, learn about past droughts and find past drought declaration maps.

05/27/2026

Cape Ann Boat owners - more info is available here:
https://www.seasidesustainability.org/shrinkwrap?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hi_name_lots_to_share_from_seaside&utm_term=2026-05-27

05/26/2026

We pause to recognize our longtime colleague Andrew Porter who passed away one year ago today. Andrew was a dedicated Rockport DPW employee for nearly 20 years. We remember him today and everyday.

05/22/2026

COMING SOON!
ROCKPORT KITCHEN COUNTEROP OR UNDER THE SINK COMPOST BINS $15 EACH
SAVE MONEY • SAVE SPACE • COMPOST FOR FREE!

Collect kitchen food scraps at home, then bring them to the Transfer Station for FREE compost disposal - and pick up finished compost for your garden!
✅ Holds 2.4 gallons of food scraps ✅ Carbon filter helps control odors ✅ Convenient hinged lid ✅ Easy to use while cooking & cleaning ✅ Rockport branded & ready to use

WHAT CAN YOU COMPOST?
🍎 Fruit & veggie scraps ☕ Coffee grounds, filters & tea bags (plastic free) 🥚 Egg shells
🧀 Cheeses 🍖 Meat scraps & bones 🦞 Seafood Shells 🍌 Banana peels 🥑 Avocado skins & pits
“If it was once alive, you can compost it!” 🌱
🚫 Please NO liners — even certified compostable ones.
♻️ The average household throws away 8–11 pounds of compostable material EVERY WEEK! 💧 Composting instead of using a garbage disposal can reduce water use by up to 2,000 gallons per year. 🌿 Many residents say their trash bags barely fill up once food scraps are composted!

PAYMENT ACCEPTED ✔ Check ✔ Credit Card
QUESTIONS? Email us at [email protected] or visit our website https://www.rockportma.gov/722/Composting-at-the-Transfer-Station
“Department of Public Works → Transfer Station → Composting”

Bring your Food Waste in a separate container and dump into the bin under the Food Waste Composting sign on the lower level of the Transfer Station near the grass and brush piles. Only items on the “Acceptable Items” list. NO OTHER ITEMS. NO BAGS of any kind. A valid Transfer Station sticker is ...

05/22/2026

TOWN OFFICES CLOSED - Monday and DROUGHT STATUS UPDATE

Rockport Town Offices will be closed this Monday. We'll be back open and ready to serve you on Tuesday!

Wishing everyone a wonderful long weekend whether you're heading to the beach, firing up the grill, or getting your hands dirty in the garden.

IF THOSE RAINSHOWERS ROLL IN... WELCOME THEM!
Rockport remains under a Level 2 Significant Drought designation. While we're all hoping for sunshine, a little rain this weekend would be a true gift for our reservoirs, groundwater, and gardens alike.

If you're gardening this weekend, please keep our water restrictions in mind:

ODD/EVEN WATERING: Outdoor watering is based on your house number.
• Odd-numbered addresses → water on odd calendar days
• Even-numbered addresses → water on even calendar days

Water before 9 AM or after 5 PM to reduce evaporation
Use a watering can or hand-held hose instead of sprinklers
Set out a rain barrel to capture any rainfall this weekend!
Plant native or drought-tolerant species where you can

Well water users: Please register your well with the Board of Health & DPW, and display a visible sign on your property.

Together, small actions make a big difference. Happy gardening, Rockport and here's to a little sunshine AND a little rain!

https://www.rockportma.gov/749/Drought-Status

05/14/2026

Notice to Residents:
The Department of Public Works will be pressure cleaning and inspecting the sewer mains throughout town. This work will be ongoing Monday through Friday until mid-June from 7 am to 3 pm.
During the pressure cleaning process, you may hear gurgling or other noises from the drain pipes, but it will not impact your ability to use water or sewer. If you notice a smell from your drains, please flush your toilets and run the water in your sinks to reset your traps.
Please keep your toilet seats down to minimize disruption.