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Join YMG, EWRI and MWRA Executive Director, Fred Laskey, for a presentation on the history of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), with dinner and beverages provided by Nitsch Engineering. Learn more

The Holyoke water system dates back to 1872, when the first Board of Water Commissioners was established. At that time, the commissioners began planning out a network of reservoir systems with the construction of the first reservoir in 1888, followed by two more in 1897 and 1903. Several years later, in 1957, the Commissioners and their engineer, James Tighe, had the foresight to construct the Tighe-Carmody dam high in the hill towns west of the City, impounding billions of gallons of pristine water that would be conveyed to the City via gravity. To this day, the gravity based system envisioned by the City back in the 1800’s continues to provide water of exceptional quality in an energy efficient manner to the City, while continuing to meet all State and Federal water quality regulations. This presentation will follow the history of the development of the water system, from the construction of the network of dams, reservoirs, and pipelines to convey water to the City, to present day including the recent construction of a new ultraviolet disinfection treatment system to meet new drinking water regulations. Learn more

This year's Infrastructure Day will celebrate Holyoke’s Great Stone Dam on the Connecticut River and the extensive canal system which powered the late 19th and early 20th century mills in Holyoke, MA. Learn more