Regional Resiliency Among Neighboring Water Districts

While Massachusetts is not currently facing severe drought conditions, one community undertook a regional interconnectivity study to determine whether the neighboring water districts can support each other with additional supply during periods of critical need. The Fall River Water Division spearheaded the initiative to assess the ability for mutual aid between the Fall River and its neighboring Somerset, Swansea, and Dighton water districts to create a resilient intermunicipal support system. The study, funded by the Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program Action Grant, used existing hydraulic models from the four communities to create a regional hydraulic model, which aided in the evaluation of 86 square miles, encompassing 480 miles of pipe, 15 water storage tanks, and 12 water sources, as well as three existing interconnections between the communities' water distribution systems. The study also assessed water demand and treatment capacity, potential issues related to water quality, and feasibility based on hydraulic modeling. The study utilized hydraulic modeling and field testing to determine necessary upgrades for existing interconnections and identify five potential new interconnection sites. This presentation will focus on the process of a regional interconnectivity study, highlight the findings for these Massachusetts communities, share how Fall River has facilitated community outreach and education, and learn how this process can be applied to neighboring water districts across the country.