Parched: Tiverton, Little Compton, Westport gasp for water

TIVERTON, LITTLE COMPTON, WESTPORT — Drought has hit the Tiverton, Little Compton and Westport communities, and has sharply limited the availability of water needed to fight fires and, in some cases, for drinking. Last weekend’s rains helped a bit but it will take much more of that to make a real difference.

“It's going to take a lot of rain to fill the ponds up," said Little Compton Fire Chief Rick Petrin, who said the 12 pond locations he normally uses to obtain firefighting water have dwindled to two. He said the town hasn't had a big fire in two months