Water
The economics of issues we face today.
As the main source of drinking water for Boston and its surrounding areas, the Quabbin Reservoir, located in Western Massachusetts, was built in the 1930s. Since 1985 the Metropolitan District Commission and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority have controlled the water system. Water travels from the Reservoir through the Wachusett Reservoir by the Quabbin Aqueduct and into Boston. It is formed from two big earthen dams and is one of the biggest man-made public water supplies in the United States.
The Reservoir gets its water from the Swift River and sometimes from the Ware River, depending on the season. It is 18 miles long, has 181 miles of shoreline and has a total area of 39 square miles. When at full capacity, it can hold about 412 billion gallons of water.
How and Why it was Created
It wasn’t until 1927 when the Massachusetts State Legislature decided the Swift River Valley would become the source of Boston’s water supply. It all started in the 1890s, when there were rumors that Boston was in need of more water due to its increasing population. With making a big reservoir, however, comes a big consequence – total destruction of the Valley. Thirty-nine square miles of land had to be cleared and flooded which meant that everything in the Valley including homes, industries and farms had to be destroyed and everyone living in the Valley had to move.
Less and Less Water
In 1966 the volume of water in the Reservoir went down to 50% of its maximum volume due to drought and high demand for water. Between 1959 and 1969, Boston’s water demand went up almost 30%. Between 1961 and 1968 the total amount of rainfall in Western Massachusetts was 63 inches less than average. Due to high demand and drought, the water shortage crisis is now 18 years closer.
Poor Water Quality
The availability of good quality water will soon run out, even under regular circumstances to meet the needs of an increasing population and industrial growth. The water from both the Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs is unfiltered; therefore the water quality depends on watershed protection, natural purification and chlorination. The Reservoir is now getting lower quality water from a donor system into a receiver system just to have enough water to provide. But there are risks that come with lower quality water, like for example, finding traces of mercury in the water that can affect people’s health.
