Feasibility Studies to Provide Water to the MetroWest Area, Ipswich River Basin, South Shore Communities, and the Quabbin Watershed
MWRA completed three studies in 2022 and 2023 to assess the feasibility of expanding MWRA’s water system to the Metro West area (Acton, Ayer, Bedford, Chelmsford, Concord, Groton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Lincoln, Littleton, Maynard, Natick, Sherborn, Stow, Sudbury, Wayland, Wellesley, Westborough, Westford, and Weston), the Ipswich River Basin (Beverly, Danvers, Hamilton, Ipswich, Middleton, Lynn, Lynnfield Center Water District, Peabody, Salem, Topsfield, Wenham, Wilmington) and to the South Shore area (Abington, Avon, Brockton, Cohasset, Hanover, Hingham, Norwell, Scituate, Rockland, Weymouth, and the Former Naval Air Station). The South Shore feasibility study also looked at expanding MWRA’s wastewater system to the South Shore.
MWRA recently completed a feasibility study to assess the expansion of MWRA’s water system to communities within the Quabbin Reservoir Watershed. The study includes the following communities: Barre, Belchertown, Hardwick, Ludlow, New Salem, Orange, Pelham, Petersham, Phillipston, Shutesbury, Ware and Wendell.
MetroWest Communities, Ipswich River Basin, and South Shore Communities Study Areas
Quabbin Reservoir Watershed Study Area
As a regional supplier of water in Massachusetts, MWRA has evaluated opportunities to extend water service to communities within the four study areas. MWRA’s high quality source water is a result of our highly protected, forested watersheds. These watersheds act as a buffer against many contaminants, both regulated and unregulated. Additionally, MWRA’s water conservation efforts over the last several decades have resulted in an even more resilient water supply system able to withstand drought conditions and recover following a drought. The “Safe Yield” (i.e., the maximum withdrawal that can be made continuously from a water source or sources during a period of extended drought) for the MWRA system is 300 million gallons per day.
Water System Expansion Feasibility Studies
- MetroWest Communities Feasibility Study - July 2023
- Ipswich River Basin Feasibility Study - October 2022
- South Shore Area Feasibility Study - October 2022
- Quabbin Reservoir Watershed Communities Expansion Evaluation - September 2025
MWRA Water and Wastewater Admission Policies
MWRA has detailed policies that address the procedures and criteria for handling requests for services to locations outside the MWRA's water or sewer service areas. Descriptions of these policies can be found on our Admission page.