Jump to:

• Early Documents Relating to Boston’s Water Supply (1834-1888)
• Cochituate Water Board — Annual Reports (1850-1876)
• Boston Water Board — Annual Reports (1877-1896)
• Boston Water Commissioner — Annual Reports (1896-1911)
• Boston Public Works Department (1912-1976)
• Boston Water and Sewer Commission — Annual Reports (1977 to date)
• Miscellaneous BWSC Documents

Early Documents Relating to Boston’s Water Supply

• Report on the subject of introducing pure water into the city of Boston (1834)

• Report of committee appointed to inquire into possible water sources for the city (1836)

• Report of the commissioners appointed under an order of the City council, of March 16, 1837, to devise a plan for supplying the city of Boston with pure water (1837)

• Pure water (1838)

• Papers relating to the introduction of pure water (1838)

• Address of the mayor to the City Council of Boston, January 7, 1839 (1839)

• Soft water (1839)

• Statement of evidence before the Committee of the Legislature, at the session of 1839, on the petition of the city of Boston, for the introduction of pure soft water (1839)

• Thoughts about water (1844)

• Report of the commissioners appointed under the order of the City Council, August 26, 1844 : to report the best mode and expense of bringing the water of Long Pond into the city of Boston (1844)

• A plea for pure water : being a letter to Henry Williams, Esq (1844)

• Petition of the stockholders of Spot Pond Aqueduct Company : August 18, 1845, referred to Aldermen Ayer, Perkins and Shipley, and ordered that one hundred copies be printed (1845)

• Arguments and statements addressed to the members of the Legislature : in relation to the petition of the city of Boston for power to bring into the city the water of Long Pond (1845)

• Remarks on the present project of the city government for supplying the inhabitants of Boston with pure soft water. (1845)

• Proceedings before a joint special committee of the Massachusetts legislature, upon the petition of the city of Boston, for leave to introduce a supply of pure water into that city, from Long Pond, February and March, 1845 (1845)

• Argument on behalf of Joseph Tilden and others, remonstrants, on the hearing of the petition of the mayor of the city of Boston : on behalf of the City Council, for a grant of the requisite powers to construct an aqueduct from Long Pond to the city, before a Joint Special Committee of the Massachusetts Legislature, March VI, MDCCCXLV (1845)

• Further remarks on supplying the city of Boston with pure water : in answer mainly to Inquiry into the best mode of supplying the city of Boston with water for domestic purposes, etc. (1845) Second edition

• A review of the report of the water commissioners of 1845; : with an examination of some of its statements and estimates (1846)

• Main Drainage Works of the City of Boston (1885 edition)

• Main Drainage Works of the City of Boston (1888 edition)

Cochituate Water Board — Annual Reports

• 1850
• 1851
• 1852
• 1853
• 1854
• 1855
• 1856
• 1857
• 1858
• 1859
• 1860
• 1861
• 1862
• 1863
• 1864
• 1865/66
• 1866/67
• 1867/68
• 1868/69
• 1870/71
• 1871/72
• 1872/73
• 1874
• 1875
• 1876

Boston Water Board — Annual Reports

• 1877
• 1878
• 1879
• 1880
• 1881
• 1882
• 1883
• 1884
• 1885 (9th Report, April)
• 1885 (10th Report, December)
• 1886
• 1887
• 1888
• 1889- not digitized
• 1890
• 1891-92
• 1892-93
• 1893
• 1894-95

Boston Water Commissioner — Annual Reports

• 1896
• 1897
• 1898
• 1899
• 1900
• 1901
• 1902
• 1903
• 1904
• 1905
• 1906
• 1907
• 1908
• 1909
• 1910
• 1911

In 1911, the Water Department merged with the Engineering and Street Departments to create the Public Works Department.
 

In 1977, the Boston Water and Sewer Commission was established to handle said functions distinct from the Public Works Department.

Boston Water and Sewer Commission — Annual Reports

• 1977-1984- BPL does not have
• 1985
• 1986
• 1987
• 1988
• 1989
• 1990
• 1991
• 1992- BPL does not have
• 1993
• 1994- BPL does not have
• 1995
• 1996- BPL does not have
• 1997
• 1998
• 1999
• 2000- not digitized
• 2001
• 2002
• 2003
• 2004
• 2005- not digitized
• 2006
• 2007
• 2008
• Visit the BWSC’s website for current reports.

Miscellaneous BWSC Documents

• The Sewer and Water Works of the City of Boston, 1630-1978, by Neil J. Savage for the BWSC
• Proposed Capital Improvement Program, 1980-1982
• Supporting Documentation for the 1989 Rate Schedule (the 1989 rate increase was significant, as it was done to support the MWRA’s program of improving sewerage treatment.)