The Journey of Water

Imagine that you are a tiny drop of water. Even though water has many different purposes, your destiny was to be consumed by one of the many happy customers of the MWRA. However, you had to complete a long and difficult journey to reach your goal. Join me on this amazing adventure.

After falling from a cloud as a raindrop or snowflake, you landed on a watershed. Then, you joined other drops of water to turn into a stream. This stream flowed down the protected land that you were on and into the Quabbin Reservoir. While you were part of the stream, you came into contact with soil, rock, plants, and other materials. After the stream was cleaned, it flowed into the reservoir. One part of your trip was complete, but you still had a long way to go.

After becoming part of the Quabbin Reservoir, your journey to a person's home began. You entered the Wachusett Reservoir and circulated for eight months. You helped to generate power as you entered the reservoir. When you left, you generated more power and continued your journey. You and other samples of water were tested several times as you traveled.

After traveling through the Wachusett Aqueduct, you entered the new John J. Carroll Plant at Walnut Hill in Marlborough. This plant is the place where you and the rest of the drops of water were treated according to the state and federal regulations. First, you were disinfected using Ozone gas bubbles. Chloramines were then added to the water to protect it from being contaminated as it traveled through pipe lines. After that, Sodium Bicarbonate was added to adjust the pH. It was also added to reduce the chance of particles of metal dissolving into the water. Finally, fluoride was added so that you and the other drops of drinking water would give people healthy teeth.

Once you were treated, you left the plant through the MetroWest
Water Supply Tunnel. After traveling through this tunnel, you were stored in a covered tank. Then, you were drawn into distribution mains and the smaller pipes in the area. You finally reached a local pipe and were carried into a building. There, you were consumed by another happy customer of the MWRA.

As you can see, drinking water must go on an amazing journey to reach our homes. Now that I have described the amazing journey of a drop of water, I am sure that you will appreciate water much more. Next time you turn on the faucet to get a glass of water, think about how far that water has ad to travel and thank the MWRA.

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