About Us

The Cambridge Water Department (CWD) is a municipally owned and operated water utility servicing over 100,000 residents. The CWD operates under the general direction of the City Manager. The Cambridge Water Board is comprised of five members appointed by the City Manager, who serve in an advisory capacity to the City Manager and the Managing Director of the Water Department. The CWD is regulated by Federal and State drinking water codes and is comprised of three divisions: Administration, Water Operations, and Transmission & Distribution. The mission of the Department is to provide a safe, adequate and uninterrupted water supply of the highest quality to the citizens of Cambridge.

The CWD continues to implement its long-term capital strategic plan to ensure integrity and functionality of the Cambridge water system. The systems that comprise the Water Department are: the watershed and its related facilities such as gatehouses, dams, spillways and valves; the Stony Brook conduit and associated valving; the Fresh Pond Reservoir; the treatment plant; the Payson Park finished water reservoir; the Payson transmission lines and associated valving; the distribution system; and three Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA) emergency interconnects.

There will be continued emphasis on: improving customer service, saving energy through continued conservation efforts (i.e. GreenSense Program), mechanical upgrades (i.e. variable frequency drives (VFDs) on pumps), process modifications (i.e. storage, pump, disinfection and filter operations) and renewable energy sources (i.e. solar panels); revitalizing the water distribution system; continuing upgrades and restoration improvements to the Fresh Pond Reservation guided by the Master Plan; the Stony Brook Conduit; Payson Park force and supply lines; and treatment plant process optimization, to improve the water quality delivered to our customers. Opportunities to perform water main infrastructure improvements in partnership with the Department of Public Works performing utility work, such as sewer separation and Chapter 90 roadway work, will be pursued to optimize cost and minimize disruptions to the public.