BWSC拥有并经营着整个波士顿市的饮用水分配系统. This includes residents, schools and universities, 医院, 企业, 行业, and private and public institutions.
历史
The Early Settlers
波士顿的早期定居者依靠蓄水池、水井和波士顿公园的一个泉水来取水. 然而,随着城市的发展,这种供应不足,质量往往很差. 第一次提供替代方案的尝试来自私人供应商, in 1796, began delivering water from Jamaica Pond through a system of wooden pipes. 城市的规模和人口继续增长,城市规划者开始把目光投向该州西部地区,以获得更丰富的供水.
1848 - 1900
In 1848, the City obtained its first municipal water supply from Long Pond, now called Lake Cochituate, which is about 19 miles west of Boston. The water traveled via the Cochituate Aqueduct into the Brookline Reservoir. 当时, Boston's population was about 127,000 and in the period between 1860 to 1900, the population tripled to 550,000. 为了满足日益增长的用水需求,启动了几个建设项目. 从1866年开始,建成了几个水库和相关的渡槽. 然而,这些新增的粮食仍然不能满足不断增长的人口的需要. In response to this, in 1895, the City formed the Metropolitan Water District (MWD), which was to identify additional water sources for the City.
1900 - 1970
Looking still farther west, city planners located an area in central Massachusetts, 35 miles west of Boston, called Wachusett. In 1908, the Wachusett Dam, Reservoir and Aqueduct were completed. In 1919, to oversee the complex water system (and storm/sewer system), 马萨诸塞州议会成立了大都会区委员会(MDC), now the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
争取民主变革运动制定了扩大供水的大规模计划,以满足未来的增长. 这个计划的结果是通过建造夸宾水库来蓄水斯威夫特河,从而扩大了伍斯特水库, 65 miles west of Boston. Completed in 1939, the Quabbin Reservoir has a capacity of 412 billion gallons, making it the largest man-made water supply reservoir in the world. 直到今天,Quabbin河仍然是波士顿大都会的主要水源.
1970 to Present
到20世纪70年代,多年的延期维修开始对供水系统造成损害. 水需求, 再一次, 四十年来没有显著增长的供应开始紧张了吗. 除了, 水在到达消费者手中之前就已经从泄漏的管道中流失了,而且伦敦许多地区的水压都很低.
In 1977, BWSC was created to oversee and update the City of Boston's system. In 1985, Massachusetts Legislation was enacted that transferred the possession, 控制, 并将MDC供水和污水处理部门的运营交给新成立的马萨诸塞州水资源管理局(MWRA)。. 这包括整个大都市地区的水库和主要输电线路.
今天
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA)
波士顿是51个成员社区之一,他们购买水(含氟和消毒)从 Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) through 29 active metered connections located at various delivery points. The MWRA obtains its water supply from the Quabbin Reservoir, the Wachusett Reservoir, and the Ware River, which have a combined capacity of approximately 477 billion gallons. The Quabbin Reservoir, located 65 miles west of Boston, 比伦敦的平均海拔高大约530英尺. 这种高度差产生了自然的重力流,通过MWRA的大部分供水系统,从而消除了将水泵入BWSC系统的需要.
Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs
波士顿的饮用水来自马萨诸塞州中部和西部的两个水库, the Quabbin and the Wachusett Reservoirs. 除了 to the reservoirs, the system includes surface aqueducts, covered storage tanks, treatment facilities, and deep rock tunnels. This system is known as the Metropolitan Boston 水系统. 马萨诸塞州水资源管理局(MWRA)和保护和娱乐部(DCR)共同管理波士顿大都会水系. MWRA为大都市地区的48个社区提供饮用水的处理和分配, including Boston. 水务署负责管理水源水库附近的土地,并负责在最大程度上保持水库不受水质污染. 最后,BWSC将水输送到整个波士顿市的家庭和企业.
Metrowest Tunnel
分配到波士顿市区的水从水库通过科斯格罗夫或伍斯特渡槽输送,并在水务局的约翰J. Carroll Water Treatment Plant at Walnut Hill in Marlborough. Treatment includes ozone disinfection, pH adjustment with sodium bicarbonate, and the addition of chloramines and fluoride. 水通过Metrowest供水隧道离开工厂,储存在Norumbega水库的有盖储罐和Weston的Loring Road储罐中, where it is held for delivery to the BWSC service networks. MWRA总水管将水分配到29个供水点的BWSC系统.
Infrastructure
波士顿的供水系统被设计成具有冗余容量,以支持大多数主要的配电线路. 这种冗余允许对系统的离散部分进行必要的维护工作,而不会中断整个城市的连续服务.
The water system consists of approximately 1,018 linear miles of pipe which range in size from 4 inches to 48 inches, 其中包括12,758 hydrants and 17,725年阀门. 除了, there are four major service networks: Southern Low Service, Northern Low Service, Southern High Service, and Southern Extra-High Service. 大约90%的城市用水是通过南部低水系和南部高水系输送的.
BWSC遵循系统的更新和更换计划,更换旧的铸铁水管,并通过清洁和水泥衬里修复管道. A minimum of 8 miles of pipe is included in each year's capital program.
Through aggressive leak detection and repair, and progressive metering programs, BWSC continues to reduce its unbilled and unaccounted-for-water. 这些项目使未计费的用水量从1977年的每天70加仑(百万加仑)减少到9加仑.26 MGD in 2017. 未付水费是指从水务局购买的水和卖给客户的水之间的差额. 大部分未收费的水用于公共目的,如消防和街道清扫. BWSC continues to provide a leakage survey of the entire system each year. Leaks are repaired on an immediate basis.
水的质量
波士顿水环境委员会和马萨诸塞州水资源管理局监测波士顿饮用水的质量,以确保其安全饮用,并符合联邦和州的饮用水质量要求. Read BWSC's annual Drinking 水的质量 Report.
The MWRA tests over 1,600 water quality samples per month, from the reservoirs all the way to household taps. Annual and monthly test results are posted by the MWRA on its 网站.
BWSC is concerned about lead in drinking water. 引领 in drinking water is rarely the sole cause lead poisoning. 然而, it can increase a person's total lead exposure, 尤其是那些饮用婴儿配方奶粉和加水的浓缩果汁的婴儿. 引领 enters drinking water primarily as a result of the corrosion, or wearing away, 供水系统和家庭管道中含铅的材料.