Drinking Water Week: May 7-13, 2023
Drinking Water Week is celebrated annually across the country during the first week of May. Each day this week, we’ll share a post about ways that the Northampton Department of Public Works (DPW) ensures that residents have reliable access to clean, safe drinking water. Local water utilities are vital to protecting public health, fighting fires, and facilitating everyday tasks like cooking and cleaning. The DPW will be observing Drinking Water Week this year by encouraging consumers to learn about the critical infrastructure that collects, treats and distributes drinking water to City residents and businesses.
Tuesday, May 9th
We often think of water infrastructure as pipes, storage tanks and treatment plants, but natural processes play a significant role in the quality and quantity of drinking water available. 99% of Northampton’s water is collected in three reservoirs which are located in Hatfield, Whately and Williamsburg. These reservoirs together can store over 1 billion gallons of water. This cool, high-quality water is initially filtered by thousands of acres of forest in the towns of Conway, Whately and Williamsburg. The City is fortunate to have this natural infrastructure as part of the City’s water system.
Ryan Reservoir in Whately