Project History
The existing West Parish Filters Water Treatment Plant was first constructed by the City of Springfield in 1909, with significant expansion in the 1920s, 1960s, and 1974. Fifty years later, the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission is rebuilding the facility to serve 21st century needs.
West Parish Filters
Exapanding Slow Filtration
1920s
New slow sand filters were constructed to expand plant capacity; these are still in use today
Construction on the 22.5 billion gallon Cobble Mountain Reservoir begins and is completed in 1931.
1960s
Chlorination is added to the treatment process
Auspicious Beginnings
1905
Allen Hazen identified the Little River watershed as the water source for West Parish Filters in Westfield to supply water to the City of Springfield.
1909
Original construction was completed and featured 8 slow sand filters (common in New England at that time).
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The rapid sand filters have been in continuous use ever since, serving as the primary filtration method, with the slow sand filters remaining in use to meet peak and emergency demand.
Safe Drinking Water Act
1974
With the passage of the Safe Drinking Water Act, new technology and practices were adopted at West Parish Filters.
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A new rapid sand filtration plant was built, with substantial federal funding.
New West Parish Water Treatment Plant
Planning for the Future
1999
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) updated regulations related to disinfection byproducts (DBPs), first adopted in 1998.
2015
The Commission initiated a comprehensive planning process to modernize the drinking water treatment plant.
Findings from the process indicated that the 1974 rapid sand filters were not capable of sufficiently removing natural organic matter (NOM) to consistent meet current or future DBP regulations.
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Also, other components of the plant were at or beyond their useful life, increasing the risk of failure.
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Progressing the Plan
2021
Upon completion, the West Parish Filters Facility Improvements Plan identified a multi-phase approach to replace aging infrastructure and maintain regulatory compliance.
The planning process also identified that an added treatment step – known as “dissolved air flotation” (DAF) – is required to meet modern drinking water standards.
