Mattapoisett River Valley WD

Mattapoisett River Valley WD Municipal Water Report Info

Mattapoisett was established as a town on May 20, 1857, previously existing as a village within Rochester. Early residents enjoyed relative isolation as the self-sufficient economy and limited transportation options minimized outside contact. After 1800, the community flourished as a shipbuilding center, producing vessels of various sizes for shipping and whaling industries. The last vessel constructed in Mattapoisett was the bark "Wanderer," launched in 1878. The town also supported a significant "Salt Works" industry, extracting salt from seawater through evaporation.

Following the decline of whaling and sailing ships, Mattapoisett transformed into a popular summer destination for residents of New Bedford and Boston. The town's rich history is preserved and showcased at the Historical Museum, maintained by the dedicated Mattapoisett Historical Society.

The Mattapoisett River Valley Water District encompasses water supply sources operated by Fairhaven, Marion, and Mattapoisett, while also serving Rochester. Each town has experienced elevated iron and manganese levels in their wells, forcing several to be deactivated. Rather than building multiple treatment facilities for the eight wells, the towns collaborated to construct a single advanced water treatment facility. This ultrafiltration plant, only the third of its kind in Massachusetts, provides exceptional treatment that meets and exceeds current and anticipated standards.

The towns have collaborated for over 20 years on water resource protection through the Mattapoisett River Valley Water Supply Protection Advisory Committee. This committee assesses annual fees based on water usage and allocates these funds for land acquisition and other protective measures. Regular meetings address watershed planning, resource management, and pumping data review. This committee served as the foundation for the District's formation.

In 2002, the towns began discussing water quality issues, future supply needs, and treatment options to reactivate offline sources affected by poor water quality. All three towns had lost supply capacity due to high iron and manganese concentrations. At their 2003 Annual Town meetings, the four communities approved funding for a study committee to assess regional water supply needs, with three appointees from each town participating.