Documentary History of American Water-works

Housatonic

Housatonic, Massachusetts

Housatonic was settled in the early 1800s.

Water works were built by the Housatonic Water Company and began service on December 1, 1888.

This company went bankrupt and the Housatonic Water Works Company took over the system.

Water in the village of Housatonic is provided by the Housatonic Water Works Company, which has a history page.

References
1884 An act to incorporate the Housatonic Water Company. May 27, 1884.

1889 Examinations of the water supplies and inland waters of Massachusetts. 1887-1890, December, 1889.
Pages 140-141: Water Supply of Great Barrington. Great Barrington Water Company.
Description of Works.—Population in 1885, 4,471. The works are owned by the Great Barrington Water Company. Water was introduced in 1867. The source of supply is a small mountain brook, on which a very small storage reservoir is built. The area of the reservoir is estimated to be about one acre. Maximum depth, 12 feet; average depth, about 6 feet ; bottom, clay; capacity, about 1,700,000 gallons. The natural drainage area, estimated from the new topographical map of Massachusetts, is about 134 acres. The slopes are very steep and heavily wooded. There is very little cleared land and no population on the drainage area. In the vicinity of the reservoir there is a dense growth of evergreen trees extending to the water's edge. Water is distributed by gravity. Distributing mains are of cast iron and service pipes of wrought iron.
In addition to the Great Barrington Water Company, there are three other water companies in this town. The Mansfield Lake Aqueduct Company furnishes water from Mansfield Lake to a very few persons, and at times supplies water to the Great Barrington "Water Company. The Berkshire Heights Water Company constructed works in 1887 for pumping water from Green River in Great Barrington to a distributing reservoir to supply a portion of the town. These works are not yet in operation. The Housatonic Water Company was chartered to supply the village of Housatonic, which is in the northern part of Great Barrington very near the line between Great Barrington and Stockbridge. Water ivas introduced in December, 1888. The source of supply is Long Lake in Great Barrington. Water is distributed by gravity. Distributing mains are of cast iron; service pipes are of galvanized iron.

1890 "Housatonic," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.

1891 "Housatonic," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.

1897 An act to incorporate the Houstatonic Water Works Company. April 2, 1897.

1897 "Housatonic," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.

1923 An act establishing the Housatonic Fire and Water District in the town of Great Barrington. May 1, 1923.