Chestnut Hill Reservoir

Chestnut Hill Reservoir
View of Gasson Hall (Boston College) from across the reservoir
Location of Chestnut Hill Reservoir in Massachusetts, USA.
Location of Chestnut Hill Reservoir in Massachusetts, USA.
Chestnut Hill Reservoir
Location of Chestnut Hill Reservoir in Massachusetts, USA.
Location of Chestnut Hill Reservoir in Massachusetts, USA.
Chestnut Hill Reservoir
LocationChestnut Hill, Boston, Massachusetts
Coordinates42°20′6.30″N 71°9′30.52″W / 42.3350833°N 71.1584778°W / 42.3350833; -71.1584778
Typereservoir
Basin countriesUnited States

Chestnut Hill Reservoir is a reservoir located in the Chestnut Hill section of Boston, Massachusetts. It was created in 1870 on existing marshes and meadowland to supplement the city’s water needs. A 1.56 mile[1] jogging loop abuts the reservoir. Chestnut Hill Reservoir was taken offline in 1978 as it was no longer needed for regular water supply distribution,[2] but is maintained in emergency backup status.[3][4] It is recognized today on the National Register of Historic Places and was designated as a Boston Landmark by the Boston Landmarks Commission in 1989.

On May 1, 2010, the Chestnut Hill Reservoir was temporarily brought back online during a failure of a connecting pipe at the end of the MetroWest Water Supply Tunnel. The Sudbury aqueduct was also activated to feed Chestnut Hill from the Foss and Sudbury reservoirs to keep the supply going. Separately the Spot Pond reservoir, also an emergency source, was tapped during the pipe break incident. Though a boil-water order was issued for fear that the water would not be safe to drink, following heavy treatment with chlorine later tests showed the water to be completely safe for drinking.[5][6]

Ice on surface of the reservoir in January. View across of trees and stadium.
The reservoir in January. View of Boston College's Alumni Stadium across the water.
The Chestnut Hill Reservoir with Boston Skyline in background (August 2023)
  1. ^ Water For Greater Boston Brighton Allston Historical Society. See paragraph 9.
  2. ^ "MWRA history". Retrieved 2012-06-16.
  3. ^ Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (May 4, 2009). "Water Supply and Demand". Retrieved 2009-08-16.
  4. ^ Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (August 9, 2006). "Water System History". Retrieved 2009-08-16. Completion to the Dorchester Tunnel in 1978 allowed the demands of the southern systems to be removed from the Sudbury Aqueduct. However, because there is no redundancy for the Dorchester Tunnel, the facilities taken off line in 1978 must remain in stand-by status.
  5. ^ Daley, Beth; Gil, Gideon (May 5, 2010). "Tests confirm it — water was OK to drink all weekend". The Boston Globe.
  6. ^ "Water Piping Repairs 'Holding Great,' Says MWRA Director".