Introduction
On October 9th at 3:35 PM, a water main break in MWRA’s Dorchester Tunnel was narrowly prevented from escalating into a full-blown crisis — a close call reminiscent of the 2010 main break that affected 2 million across Greater Boston. This recent incident underscored not only the critical nature of MWRA’s expertise and rapid response but also the urgent need for redundancy in our water infrastructure. As private and public construction activity continues to grow, this event highlights the vital role of MWRA’s ongoing Metropolitan Tunnel Redundancy project to safeguard the resilience of our regional water supply.
What Happened
During geothermal drilling on private property, the Dorchester Tunnel, a crucial link in MWRA’s network, was compromised. Because of the tunnel’s depth, it wasn’t included on the standard DigSafe utility list. Geothermal energy is encouraged as part of the Commonwealth’s broader climate goals; however, this incident revealed how such efforts — when unmonitored for their potential impact on deep, critical infrastructure — can present new challenges. Thanks to the rapid actions of MWRA’s emergency team, what could have been catastrophic was narrowly averted. However, this incident illuminates the importance of projects like the Metropolitan Tunnel Redundancy initiative, designed to provide the additional security our aging systems now require.
The Emergency Response
Recognizing the gravity of the break, MWRA staff immediately reconfigured the water system, dispatching teams to operate 27 valves across the southern system and maintain flow to the Blue Hills Tank. The Chestnut Hill Emergency Pump Station was also activated, but balancing the entire network under unprecedented conditions required careful, round-the-clock monitoring. Throughout the incident, MWRA had to continually coordinate and work with state and local officials to ensure a unified response. Teams faced confined spaces, manual valve operations, and fluctuating pressures, each step reinforcing MWRA’s commitment to protecting our water supply against any interruption. Despite these well-coordinated efforts, minor breaks occurred as pressures fluctuated. However, by continually adapting in real time, MWRA crews were able to stabilize the system operations until a final repair could be made.
A Critical Case for Redundancy and Policy Reform
This incident further underscores the need for the Metropolitan Tunnel Redundancy project, now in progress. Designed to provide alternative pathways for water delivery, this initiative will make the entire region’s water supply more resilient against breaks or disruptions. In light of this near-crisis, the Redundancy project is essential — not just as a backup, but as a proactive measure against the challenges posed by deep construction projects and other unanticipated future challenges.
At the same time, it’s clear that current infrastructure policies must evolve. Geothermal projects and similar construction activities should be encouraged to help meet climate goals, but these should not come at the risk of vital infrastructure. To this end:
- Awareness for Deep Infrastructure: some of MWRA’s assets lie well below standard construction depths, yet they are foundational to water security. As new technologies expand, these deep assets need to be considered, requiring more robust oversight and coordination.
- Cross-Community Collaboration: While MWRA works with member communities to implement its existing permitting process, non-member regions hosting MWRA infrastructure may lack the awareness needed to protect these assets. Comprehensive, cross-community protocols are necessary to ensure all contractors recognize and respect MWRA’s infrastructure.
Conclusion: Building Resilience for the Future
This incident reveals the vulnerabilities in our water infrastructure as construction activity and unanticipated future challenges due to new initiatives and technologies expand. Thankfully, MWRA’s rapid response prevented what could have been a devastating impact on the region, highlighting the critical need for continued investment in redundancy through projects like the Metropolitan Tunnel Redundancy. Moving forward, the MWRA Advisory Board stands ready to partner with MWRA to advocate for enhanced protocols, wider cross-community outreach, and rigorous protection of essential water systems. Together, MWRA and the Advisory Board can help lead the region in safeguarding our water resources, with resilience as the foundation for future growth.
Board Briefs?
This blog post is part of a new series called “Board Briefs,” which will focus on one specific activity at the MWRA Board of Directors that we are flagging as important or worth noting. We plan on sharing one after every MWRA Board of Directors meeting to keep our communities informed and engaged.
