Abstract |
In the summer of 1846 the Mayor of Boston and the President of the United States joined together in ceremonies commencing construction on the city's first public water supply from Lake Cochituate, 14 aqueduct miles west of Boston. In the summer of 1972 negotiations were concluded to permit the city of Woburn, 10 miles north of Boston, to enter the Metropolitan Water District and buy water at wholesale rates from the Metropolitan District Commission's Water Division. The activities of the intervening 126 years are essential to understanding this water supply operating agency, which today must reconcile limited surface water resources with unknowable future demands (many communities not currently among the 40 now served have a right to request service); establishes and consummates its programs without the existence of a regional or state water resources policy; finances annual operational deficits from new bond revenues; is largely invisible to almost all Massachusetts citizens, including most of the over two million receiving water from it; faces the grim prospect of replacing highly motivated and qualified engineer-managers, now retiring, despite low pay scales and a tightly restrictive civil service system. Analysis of these and other issues is conducted, with recommendations (generalized for other areas) provided. A management handbook was drafted as part of the study; excerpts are included. (Author) |