Massachusetts WaterResources

Authority Where does our water Why is our water come from? so clean?

Nearly half of the population The combined waters of the

of Massachusetts, includ- Quabbin and Wachusett res-

ing most of Greater Boston, ervoirs and the Ware River receives water from the provide Greater Boston with Quabbin and Wachusett res- remarkably clean water.

ervoirs. Located in central There are two reasons for

Massachusetts, the Quabbin the water's purity. The first I holds 412 billion gallons is that the area around when full and is the largest Quabbin and the Ware River

single-purpose reservoir is sparsely populated and

in the United States. The almost entirely forested.

Wachusett, located in Clin- The state bought much of

ton, is capable of holding the watershed when the res-

65 billion gallons. ervoir was created, assuring

a pristine environment in From these reservoirs, a net- which to collect the water. work of 400 miles of MWRA As a result, there are no sep- tunnels, aqueducts and large tage tanks, little industry and pipes feeds the more than few cars to pollute it. 6,000 miles of smaller pipes owned by the communities. The other reason for the

Water is distributed to water's purity is the sheer

households and industries size of the Quabbin. Its water through these smaller pipes. moves slowly, taking as long This vast system, completed as four years to reach the

in the 1930s, supplies more aqueduct that brings it

than 2 million people with through the system. In that

some of the purest water in time impurities settle to the the nation. bottom, leaving the water clean and pure. The system is jointly oper- ated by the Metropolitan

District Commission (MDC) and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). The MDC owns and manages the reservoirs and the watershed areas around them. The MWRA supplies water to each com-

munity through its water distribution system. < V Connecticut River

4. clean is my drinking water? 5. Does pollution threaten 7. water 1. How was our water 3. How does the water get to How How much can be saved? 9. Who pays for the water? our water? system created? my tap? The communities served by the The goal of the MWRA long-range water We all do, MWRA charges the local

from sur- MWRA system receive very high qu! Much of the water supply is well supply program is to reduce water use communities for the water they use. By the mid-1800s. Boston and sur- Water flows into the reservoirs MWRA In ity water. It is tested weekly to assure well below the 300 million gallon bill rounding communities had developed a face streams and rivers (see diagram}. protected. The state purchased and pre- per turn, the communities customers in its safety, both al its source and in served large portions day safe yield of the water system. This their service reasonably sophisticated water delivery The Quabbin (A) is fed by the Swift of the Quabbin area for the costs of main- the communities. and Ware River watersheds, will ensure adequate supplies during taining their local system. This system utilized wooden River and by flood flows diverted from saving systems and for water between October and them from development. drought periods and provide ample sup- use in each home and business. pipes fashioned from tree trunks to the Ware River (8) However, the quality of the water you get fed by the plies for future growth in the metropol- transport water from a series of area June. The Wachusett (C) is the faucet depends greatly on the from The-Wachusett Reservoir, however, is The MWRA provides wholesale water fivers Water itan area. reservoirs such as Jamaica Pond. Stillwater and Qumapoxet local system. Even pipes in your when vulnerable. Not enough of its watershed and sewer services to 60 communities. entering Quabbin takes up to four years the supply is pure, quality can vary was set aside originally and The key elements of By the end of the 19th century, however, develop- the MWRA's Some communities purchase only water to circulate (0} and enter the main streel from community lo community, it water conservation the population of the Boston area had ment on has continued. Accidental program include service, some only sewer, but most intake (E). Water is released down the to street and even from house to house. spills can protection of local expanded so rapidly lhat even the addi- occur on bordering roadways water supplies, pub- buy both. The MWRA keeps separate 25-mile-long Quabbin aqueduct (F) The lead pipes still used in some older tion of Lake Cochituate and the Sudbury and runoff may contain salt and toxic lic education, technical assistance to accounts for water and sewer service; to replenish the Wachusett. A second neighborhoods and buildings can leach metals. Runoff rich in institutional and commercial Reservoir could not meet trie growing nutrients from users, and revenues from water service are applied aqueduct (G) serves communities in the small amounts of lead into the water. farm fertilizers large septic pilot programs to install solely the demand for water. Bui in 1895, Frederic and systems water-saving to operation and maintenance Valley; water is also released Chicopee The MWRA adds an alkaline chemical Stearns, chief engineer for the State's have on occasion promoted the excess fixtures in homes. costs of the water system. Revenues Winsor to keep the Swift from Dam to reduce this leaching by making the Board of Public Health, designed and growth ot algae. Although harmless, from sewer service are applied only to River flowing (H). In addition, the MWRA is finding and water less acidic. built the Wachusett Reservoir and this algae causes a fishy taste and odor sewer system costs. fixing leaks in its own system and began the design that would lead to Water enters Wachusett at Oakdale (I) in the water supply You can find out more about water qual- assisting communities to detect leaks The MWRA has increased its wholesale the construction of the Ouabbin and circulates for eight months before ity by calling your local water depart- By monitoring and treating the in their local pipes. The age of the pipes water rate to communities to pay for being drawn off in Clinton (J). Electric The Quabbin project displaced the ment, which is responsible for testing Wachusett Reservoir, however, the is a major reason for the leaks. Many renovating and upgrading the water sys- power is generated as the water both It of inhabitants of (our towns and several the water in your community. you MWRA is significantly reducing the the smaller pipes are more than 50 tem and to support water conservation enters and leaves the reservoir and at villages, requiring the destruction or decide to have the water in your home excessive growth of algae. The MWRA years old; some date back to the 1840s. efforts. Also, charges to communities two other stations (K) in the system. relocation of some 2.500 homes. Con- evaluated, be sure to choose an inde- is also supporting measures that will for sewer service are being increased to The water then passes under the struction was completed in 1939 at a pendent laboratory that is certified by protect more of the Wachusett 8. Is there anything one person pay for the construction of new sewage Sudbury Reservoir, which is not pres- cost of S53 million. Today, Quabbin the Massachusetts Department of Envi- watershed. can do? treatment facilities. ently used, to Southborough (L). Here covers 39 square miles and continues ronmental Quality Engineering (DEQE). fluoride, a mineral that helps prevent Absolutely. Each of us can contribute by to provide the MWRA's communities Contact DEQE's Division of Water Sup- 6. Are we running out of water? 10. What else does the MWRA do? tooth decay, is added to the water. An fixing household leaks and by installing with pure water. ply Public Information Office at (617) chemical is also to lower alkaline added No, but it is important that we conserve. faucet aerators, water-saving shower The MWRA maintains and operates a 292-5770 for a list ot laboratories. the water's acidity. This helps lessen the We have been exceeding the safe with- heads and low-flow toilets, as well as huge sewer system to collect waste- 2. Who uses water from Quabbin? corrosion of the lead pipes still used in drawal level from Quabbin and Wachusett by choosing appliances that are water- water from 43 communities with more

Forty-six communities are eligible to some older communities and homes. by 10% for several years. Lower than efficient. The average person uses than 5,000 miles of local sewer pipes. draw water from the MWRA system: average rainfall, combined with this 60 gallons of water per day. With an Two aging treatment plants, one on The water continues through the increased demand, has significantly awareness of conservation methods, Oeer Island near Winthrop, the other on Arlington. Belmont. Boston. Brooklme. Hultman and Weston aqueducts (M), reduced Quabbin's supply. As a result, this figure can be reduced to 35-40 Nut Island in Quincy, treat wastewater Cambridge, Canton, Chelsea, Chicopee. emptying into the Norumbega (N) and Quabbin has not been full since 1984. gallons a day. collected from nearly 2 million people Clinton, Oedham, Everett, Framingham, Weston (0) reservoirs. It is then chlori- and 5,500 businesses before discharg- Leominster, Lynn, Lynnfield Water Dis- nated as it is drawn into distribution The MWRA could tap major new The pure, clean water in the MWRA sys- ing it into Boston Harbor. The worn-out (P), which feed nine small reser- trict, Lexington, Maiden, Marblehead, mains sources of water only by flooding a tem has many uses. It is used for drink- plants, which provide only minimal voirs Marlborough. Medford. Melrose, Milton, and storage tanks such as Spot community or diverting a river, neither ing, showering, watering lawns, washing treatment, have helped to make Boston Nahant, Needham, Newton, Northbor- Pond (Q) and the many smaller pipes of which would make sense from an dishes, washing cars, flushing toilets, Harbor among the dirtiest in the nation. log ough, Norwood, Peabody, Quincy, serving the region. Water meters the environmental or economic perspective. and in industrial processes. That means water entering each community. Local is undertaking 11-year Revere, Saugus, Somerville, South- It is therefore more prudent to conserve there are many opportunities for con- The MWRA an borough, South Hadley Fire District pipes service each street and eventually our present water supply than to seek servation and every individual effort can effort to solve the problem. It will con- Waltham, carry water into buildings. Each line is With the cooperation a significant savings. struct a new wastewater treatment plant #1 , Stonebam, Swampscott, new sources. of mean Wakefield, Watertown, Wellesley, metered by the local community and individuals, businesses and industry, and facilities to capture sewer over- The MWRA offers a free Home Water Weston. Wilbraham, Winchester, feeds into the plumbing in the building. conservation programs can ensure flows, renovate the pipes and pumping Conservation Guide that explains how stations that make up the sewer collec- Winthrop, Wobum, Worcester. ample water supplies. However, if there you can save water in your home. Call are prolonged periods of below normal tion system, and reduce the discharge All of these communities are respon- (617) 242-SAVE for a copy. chemicals the system. The rainfall, mandatory conservation efforts of toxic into sible for maintaining their own pipes explained may be required ot the cities and towns Boston Harbor Project is in retail service their and providing to Plan to to protect Hie existing water supply. the brochure entitled "How We own customers. Clean the Dirtiest Harbor in America"

For more information call (617)241-6046.

Massachusetts WaterResources

Authority Working together for 1796: Jamaica Pond Boston's early settlers relied on water from cisterns clean water. and underground wells, but the quality was poor and the supply inadequate. The first

The MWRA is an independent authority attempt to provide an alternative came from a private company: In that provides wholesale water and sewer 1796, the Aqueduct Corporation began delivering water from Jamaica services to 2.5 million people in 60 com- Pond through a system of wooden pipes. munities. It is governed by a Board of Directors with representatives appointed by the Governor, the Mayor of Boston, and member communities. The MWRA was created in 1985 by the Governor and 1848: Lake Cochituate the State Legislature to modernize these The practice of regularly washing down Boston's streets and alley- water and sewer services, to conserve ways to prevent the spread of disease required more water. More- water resources and to improve the over, the city needed water to fight fires. After decades of debate, water quality of Boston Harbor. Boston hired John Jervis, who built a reservoir and aqueduct to

supply 18 million gallons of water per day from Long Pond in Natick. Run as a partnership between the Renamed Lake Cochituate, the reservoir was used until 1946. MWRA and the Metropolitan District Commission, the water system provides the region with high quality water from the Quabbin and Wachusett reservoirs. 1878: Sudbury Reservoirs In 1987, the MWRA began a long-range Due largely to the introduction of indoor plumbing, Boston soon water supply program to modernize the reached the limit of its supply. By 1878, a system of small reser- system, protect existing supplies and voirs on the Sudbury River was completed. Water from Cochituate, promote conservation. Sudbury and Mystic Lake in Charlestown provided Boston with 69 million gallons per day.

1906: Wachusett Reservoir In 1893, with population booming, the Legislature directed the State Board of Public Health to devise a means for supplying water

to Boston and all suburbs within 10 miles of the State House. The board's chief engineer, Frederic Stearns, recommended creating

a reservoir on the Nashua River in Clinton. The result was the Wachusett Reservoir, which began feeding water to the Sudbury

system in 1908.

1946: Quabbin Reservoir

Stearns' long-term plans included a giant reservoir still further west. The Wachusett, Sudbury, and Cochituate systems could deliver 169 million gallons of water per day, but a quarter of this water was of poor quality, affected by increased development on the Cochituate and South Sudbury watersheds. After years of debate, most of which concerned the great sacrifice of land and community required for the new reservoir's construction, the plan for Quabbin was approved.

The 412 billion-gallon reservoir was completed in 1939 and filled to capacity by 1946.

1989: Quabbin Reservoir, 70% full Two million people in the metropolitan area depend on water from the Quabbin and Wachusett every day. Designed to provide an aver- age of 300 million gallons per day, the system must now regularly meet demand that exceeds this amount by up to 10%. Consequently,

Quabbin's level has gradually fallen since it was last full in 1984.

The MWRA is investigating ways to meet the needs of the region by reducing demand through water conservation and by utilizing addi- tional local sources.

Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Charlestown Navy Yard 100 First Avenue Boston, MA 02129 242-6000