| Massachusetts contains 27 major watersheds, with rivers, lakes, ponds and estuaries that supply clean water to residents and habitats for fish, plants and animals. According to the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, as the average amount of developed land for each person in Massachusetts increases, natural water systems become more and more threatened. New houses and roadways result in covering water recharge areas with impervious surfaces, so rainwater runs off into storm drains instead of replenishing the groundwater. Municipal and state sewer systems often discharge large quantities of water in watersheds far removed from the withdrawal point, resulting in a net water deficit in the watershed from which the water originated. Because activities on land eventually affect the waterways, the health of Boston’s waters and coastal areas can be used to gauge the health of particular neighborhoods or of the region as a whole. Water quality is affected by runoff from streets, leaching from septic systems, and contaminated groundwater.
Boston gets its drinking water from the Quabbin and Wachusett reservoirs, which supply approximately 250 million gallons of safe water every day. The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) tests the water supply for more than 122 contaminants. Clean drinking water requires constant vigilance to protect the source from bacteria, other contaminants and metals — all the way from the reservoirs to the taps in people’s homes. The quality of Boston’s drinking water is affected by the water supply infrastructure, much of which is more than 100 years old. This system is currently under repair and replacement by the Boston Water and Sewer Commission, with scheduled completion in 2010. Other improvements include MWRA’s compliance with the federal Lead and Copper Rule, a $1.7 billion water system improvement program including a new water treatment plant featuring ozone disinfection, the 18-mile-long MetroWest Water Supply Tunnel, several covered water storage tanks, and significant pipeline rehabilitation.
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