| Introduction | Historical Background | Chronology | Geography | Biography | Technology | Ownership and Financing | General Bibliography |
| New England States | Massachusetts | West Brookfield |
West Brookfield was first settled in 1665.
The West Brookfield Aqueduct Company was organized in 1838 and built a gravity system using lead pipes.
The Quaboag Aqueduct Company built a gravity system in about 1852, also using lead pipes.
The Cement Aqueduct Company built a gravity system in 1872 using cement-lined wrought-iron pipes.
The Town of West Brookfield built a water system for fire protection in 1884.
The Town of West Brookfield was authorized to build a water system in 1911 and built a system that was operating by 1913.
Water is provided by the
Town
of West Brookfield.
References
1888 "West
Brookfield," from Manual of
American Water Works, Volume 1.
1890 "West Brookfield," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 2.
1890 Report
on Water Supply and Sewage, Massachusetts State Board of
Health
Pages 351-352: Water Supply of West Brookfield. Description of
Works.— Population in 1885, 1,747. The town is supplied with water by
several aqueduct companies from springs in the hills about the town. The
water is distributed by gravity and the distributing mains are in most
cases very small. The more important supplies are described below.
1. The Cement Aqueduct Company.—This company introduced water in 1872, and
supplied about 40 families in 1887. The sources of supply are two
collecting galleries on the side of a hill. One gallery is 130 feet long,
3 feet wide and 6 feet deep. The second gallery is 30 feet long, 3 feet
wide and 6 feet deep. Distributing mains are of wrought iron lined with
cement; service pipes are of lead.
2. Quaboag Aqueduct Company.—This company introduced water about the year
1852, and supplied about 40 families in 1887. The sources of supply are
two wells. Water is distributed by gravity. Distributing mains and service
pipes are of lead.
3. West Brookfield Aqueduct Company.—This company introduced water about
1838, and supplied about 60 families in 1887. The sources of supply are
two collecting galleries on the side of a hill. One gallery is about 1G0
feet long, 2\ feet wide, and 8 feet deep. The second gallery is about ten
feet long, 2 feet wide and 4 feet deep. Distributing mains and service
pipes are of lead.
1891 "West Brookfield," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 3.
1895 Worcester Daily
Spy, July 10, 1895, Page 4.
West Brookfield. Water pipes arrive. There were eleven carloads of
iron water pipe brought into town, Monday morning, and ahve been strewn
along many of the streets where they are to be laid.
Italians Coming. Contractor Taylor and his gang of Italian laborers
will come to town and commence work on the water works next Monday.
1897 "West Brookfield," from Manual of American Water Works, Volume 4.
1911 An act to authorize the town of West Brookfield to supply itself and its inhabitants with water. April 29, 1911.
2009 A
History of West Brookfield 1675-1990, by Jeffrey H. Fiske
Pages 214-219: Water Supply.
Records of the Town of West Brookfield Water Department from 1909-1993 were compiled by Archie B. Jay and held by the West Brookfield Merriam-Gilbert Public Library.
© 2017 Morris A. Pierce