Upcoming Meetings
January 13, 2026 - 10:00 am - 1:00 pm (Virtual)
- MWRA Metropolitan Water Tunnel Program Updates
Please e-mail Moussa for the meeting link.
Water Conservation Subcommittee
December 4, 2025, 10:00 - 11:00 am
Upcoming Meeting Agenda (s)
I. Introduction (Moussa Siri, WSCAC) (5 minutes)
II. WSCAC Businesses (40 minutes)
- Roll Call and Vote on Meeting Minutes (Paul Lauenstein, WSCAC Chair) (5 minutes)
- Roll Call and Attendance Check
- Vote to approve October 14th meeting minutes
- Election of Executive Committee Members (10 minutes)
- Presentation of Candidates
- Votes
- Water Conservation Subcommittee: Presentation to WRC (10 minutes)
- Discussion on WSCAC Priorities and Sub-groups format and their Meeting Frequency (15 minutes)
III. Briefings (15 minutes)
- WSCAC Briefing (Moussa Siri) (5 Minutes)
- WAC Briefing (Andreae Downs, WAC) (5 Minutes)
- Advisory Board Briefing (Christine Bennett, Advisory Board) (5 minutes)
10-minute break
IV. Presentations (1 hour, including Q&A)
- Lead and Coper Rules Change Updates with Steve Estes-Smargiassi (Director of Planning and Sustainability, MWRA) (30 minutes for presentation and Q&A)
- History of WSCAC with Eileen Simonson (Former WSCAC Executive Director) (30 minutes: Presentation and Q&A)
V. Other Businesses
Adjourn at 12:30 PM
Next Meeting: Tuesday, January 13th at 10:00 AM (Virtual)
ITEM #1 - Welcome and roll call.
ITEM #2 - Review of action items from last meeting.
ITEM #3 – Review Paul L. updated presentation on water conservation.
ITEM #4 – Open team discussion of timeframe for final water conservation presentation.
ITEM #5 – Follow up discussion of extent, frequency and timing for M36 Audits.
ITEM #6 – What will it take to get 2018 Water Conservation Standards updated?
ITEM #7 - Meeting recap and action item assignments reviewed.
ITEM #8 – Schedule next Water Conservation Subcommittee meeting and adjourn.
Reference: *Overview of Massachusetts Water Conservation Standards (https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2018/09/11/ma-water-conservation-standards-2018.pdf)
WSCAC advises the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and the Department of Conservation and Recreation on water conservation and watershed protection strategies.
The office is now open from Monday - Friday and we are always available by email at: info@wscac.org.
About WSCAC Brochure
WSCAC: Advising the MWRA on Water Use in Massachusetts
WSCAC documents do not necessarily reflect MWRA policy or the opinions of MWRA staff.
Current Events
Government-Supported Public Participation
Originally formed in 1977 to review a proposed diversion of the Connecticut River for water supply to the metropolitan Boston area, WSCAC represents an unusual approach for engaging citizen participation in water resource policy decisions.
WSCAC advises the MWRA and the Department of Conservation and Recreation on water conservation and watershed protection strategies. The MWRA has implemented leak repair and demand management programs, avoiding the need for river diversion.
WSCAC's current focus is water quality - source protection and management of the watersheds, reservoirs and distribution system.
WSCAC worked with the New England Safe Drinking Water Task Force on the Safe Drinking Water Act reauthorization. WSCAC helped secure passage of state legislation - the Interbasin Transfer Act of 1983, the Water Management Act of 1985, and the Watershed Protection Act of 1992. State officials have tapped WSCAC for other statewide advisory groups.
WSCAC members regard the following as the most important lessons learned:
Active citizen participation is a good investment, ensuring publicly supportable, cost effective and environmentally sound solutions.
Informed citizen input on major policy decisions requires an independent, full-time staff answerable only to the citizens' committee.
To gain credibility, citizen input that includes diverse points of view must be sought.
Effective citizen input entails responsibilities for both the citizens' committee and the affected agencies. The committee must engage in pertinent, factual and thoughtful criticism of the agency, and agency officials must respond receptively and professionally to input
Citizen committees need to communicate with the public as well as with the agencies they advise.
WSCAC's membership is diverse and provides an ongoing source of public input for the MWRA and state agencies. The MWRA supports WSCAC with funding for office space, expenses, and a staff selected by and answerable to the committee. The committee meets monthly at the MWRA facilities in Southborough.
Meeting Documents for WSCAC's Water Conservation Subcommittee will be posted here:
| Document | Date |
|---|---|
| Agenda | 11/5/25 |
MWRA Water System Expansion Evaluation to MetroWest Communities
Forests as Climate Solutions Presentation (PDF)
MassDCR - Division of Water Supply Protection: YouTube Playlist link
DCR Watershed Forestry, Climate Resiliency, and Carbon
MWRA AB Watershed Protection Program Presentation
Turnaround Films: When In Drought, Massachusetts (7:45 min video)
Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) - 2022 Massachusetts Scorecard
Upcoming DCR Events (All ages are welcome, Register beforehand)
DCR Watershed System Salt Reduction
Ware River Watershed Public Access Management Plan Meeting Presentation 11/29/2022 (PDF)
Ware River Watershed Public Access Management Plan Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
MWRA Releases North and South Studies Focused on Expanding Water Service to Several Communities
Massachusetts DCR Forest Health Program - Storymap
Tips for Saving Water (PDF)
DCR Watershed Preservation Restriction
The Dividing Scar: Massachusetts and the Four Lost Towns
BWSC John Freeman Lecture (YouTube)
DCR Watershed Forestry Map Project
Understanding the Quabbin (Youtube)
Advisory Board Watershed Virtual Field Trip - "Just the FAQs!"
MWRA - A Healthy Environment Starts at Home
Quabbin Reservoir Historic Photograph Collection Digital Access Project (Youtube)
12 Facts that Show Why Bottled Water is One of the Biggest Scams in the Country
Resilient MA Climate Clearinghouse
DCR’s Watershed Management Principles for Public Access Management in the Ware River Watershed (PDF)
Dovetail Partners Consuming Responsibly Report No. 1: Environmental Impacts of Tap vs. Bottled Water (PDF)
Division of Water Supply Protection: 2017 Land Management Plan (PDF)
SUEZ - Water Technologies & Solutions Video (YouTube)
DCR Video: Watershed Forestry: Managing for Resistance and Resilience
MWRA Advisory Board Green Sheet: Metropolitan Tunnel Redundancy
Growth of MWRA Water Service Area (PDF)
MWRA Advisory Board’s Just the FAQs: Watershed Management
MWRA Community Water Use Report Page
United States Drought Monitor – Massachusetts
Wachusett Reservoir Direct Discharge Elimination Project
Planning for the Protection of the DCR/MWRA Water Supply System (PDF)
November 21, 2023 — re: Forest As Climate Solutions
September 21, 2023 — re: Forest As Climate Solutions
April 7, 2023 — DCR-DWSP Forest Management Review
February 7, 2022 — Congratulatory Letter on CSXT Agreement
October 29, 2021 — Re: Support for H.898/S.530, An Act relative to maintaining adequate water supplies through effective drought management
July 26, 2021 — Re: Proposed Amendments to 310 CMR 36.00-Conditions on WMA Registrations
July 8, 2021 — Re: Quinepoxet Dam Removal Project
May 25, 2021 — Re: DCR Division of Watershed Protection, Staffing Levels
April 9, 2021 — Re: Comments on Green Recertification of DCR Watersheds
March 23, 2021 — Re: STB Docket No. FD 36472, CSX Corporation and CSX Transportation, Inc., et al, - Control and Merger
February 15, 2021 — Letter to Chair Theoharides and BOD on the Green Recertification of DCR Watersheds
November 24, 2020 — Massachusetts Rivers Alliance letter of support for H4921, an act promoting awareness of sewage pollution in public waters
March 23, 2018 — Comments on Proposed Changes to the Water Conservation Standards
March 7, 201 — EPA Lead and Copper Rule Revisions
October 20, 2017 — Public Comment on the Division of Water Supply Protection: 2017 Draft Land Management Plan
October 20, 2017 — Quabbin Public Access Plan Update
January 4, 2017 — Revisions to the MA Drought Management Plan
December 23, 2016 — Proposed Revisions to the Interbasin Transfer Act
March 14, 2016 — Letter to DCR Commissioner Roy about Endangered Timber Rattlesnakes at Quabbin
January 29, 2016 — Comments to DCR Commissioner Roy on Mountain Biking in the Ware River Watershed
January 22, 2016 — Brice-Lemon Estate Comments
July 29, 2015 — Re: MARTB Request to Allow Single-Track Mountain Biking on Ware River Watershed Lands
July 20, 2015 — Re: DCR Division of Watershed Protection's FY'16 Watershed Forestry Lots
WSCAC comments letters do not necessarily reflect MWRA policy or the opinions of MWRA staff.
September 10, 2021 — WSCAC Annual Report FY 2021
June 30, 2020 — WSCAC Annual Report FY 2020
July 17, 2019 — WSCAC Annual Report FY 2019
July 18, 2018 — WSCAC Annual Report FY 2018
October 6, 2017 — EOEA Cable Certificate
September 15, 2016 — WAC Video: What is Deer Island? (on YouTube)
June 13, 2015 — Summary Report of MWRA Demand Management Program 2000
The purpose of the water conservation section in MWRA’s NPDES permit is to help maintain the flow to Deer Island WastewaterTreatment Plant below the 436 mgd permit limit.
November 6, 2015 — Presentations from A Better City panel event "Protecting Critical Infrastructure - Resiliency Planning and Investments"
- View Frank DePaola's Presentation from MassDOT
- View Tom Glynn's Presentation from Massport
- View Fred Laskey's Presentation from MWRA
- View Paul Renaud's Presentation from Eversource
January 16, 2014 — MWRA Advisory Board's Economic Development Report Reader Cover Letter from MWRA Advisory Board Executive Director, Joseph E. Favaloro, Jr.
December 5, 2013 — Incorporating SWMI into the Water Resources
- Sustainable Water Management Initiative Advisory Committee
- Management Program Regulations
- Presented by Beth Card, MassDEP, Duane LeVangie, MassDEP, Anne Carroll, Mass DCR
WSCAC documents of note do not necessarily reflect MWRA policy or the opinions of MWRA staff.
WSCAC Statement on MWRA Water Quality and the DCR Division of Water Supply Protection’s (DWSP) Forest Management Program — February 29, 2012
Downstream releases and flow management on the Swift and South Nashua Rivers — By Mary S. Booth for WSCAC. September 2009
Views of the WSCAC Executive Committee — Comments by Mr. Paul Lauenstein — November, 2008
WSCAC: A Brief History of Positions and Actions, and Recommendations for the Future — By Alexandra Dawson and Eileen Simonson, November 2008
WSCAC Comments on Town of Reading, EOEA # 12514 – January 7, 2007
WSCAC Comments on Draft Record of Decision for a Phase 1 Waiver to allow the Town of Reading to use the MWRA Water Supply System as an interim provider. October 10, 2006.
WSCAC: MWRA Water System Expansion: Position Review and Thoughts On Admission Criteria and Contract Requirements — June 28, 2006
WSCAC's comments to EOEA on revised state water conservation standards — Nov. 1, 2005
"The WSCAC View" On water conservation and MWRA system expansion — Sept., 2005
WSCAC Expansion Policy
WSCAC publications do not necessarily reflect MWRA policy or the opinions of MWRA staff.