Our Mission: “Providing High Quality Water to our Customers at Competitive Rates”

Established in 1872, the Holyoke Board of Water Commissioners had the vision and foresight to design, plan and build one of the most reliable water systems known today.  A network of reservoirs located within the City of Holyoke and five neighboring communities impound billions of gallons of water ensuring the City’s water supply needs are met under all operating conditions.   Thousands of acres of watershed land owned and operated by Holyoke helps to protect and preserve these resources from contaminants.  An energy efficient gravity based system conveys water from the reservoirs to a centralized treatment facility where it is treated to meet all State and Federal water quality regulations.  Treated water is then distributed to a series of storage tanks and pumping stations that service the five individual pressure zones within the City. 

The water that reaches your tap is the result of a multi-step process that includes:

• Protection – Our sources water protection program focuses on watershed management to maintain the quality of our drinking water sources.
• Treatment – Our water treatment facility uses liquid chlorine and ammonium to disinfect the water so it is safe to drink.  The water is also fluoridated to reduce tooth decay and prevent cavities.  Finally, additives are introduced to regulate water pH and alkalinity helping to reduce corrosion inside the pipes.
• Monitoring – We conduct hundreds of tests a year of samples collected from numerous locations throughout the distribution system, the water treatment plant and from the reservoirs.

As a result, the Holyoke Water Works has been able to provide an abundant supply of safe, clean drinking water which is essential to the health and well being of our consumers.  Holyoke Water Works is dedicated to protecting and preserving our valuable water resources for the benefit of the community today and for future generations to come.  Through sound and prudent fiscal practices, we can ensure these services are provided to our community at both affordable and competitive rates.

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The Holyoke Water Works offers several options to pay your water bill which include pay on-line, pay by mail and pay in person.  Payment can be made by cash, check or debit/credit card payment.  The Holyoke Water Works accepts Visa, MasterCard and Discover.

Pay on-line   (This Feature will be available by May 1st)

For your convenience, the Holyoke Water Works offers on-line payment.  Please click on the following link to use this option:  http://holyokewater.billtrust.com    You can see your most recent transactions as well as your current and past monthly payments.  Take advantage of paying on-line by using our secured Check-free service.

Pay by Mail

With every mailed invoice sent to you, the Holyoke Water Works includes a return addressed envelop for mailing your water and sewer payment.  Please include both water and sewer payment stubs along with separate checks made out to each department. 

Pay in Person

Payment of water charges can be made in person at the following location:

                  Holyoke Water Works

                  20 Commercial Street

                  Holyoke, MA  01040

Disputing your Bill

If for any reason you believe your bill is incorrect, you may dispute your water charges by calling a customer service representative at 413-536-0442.  In the event our customer service representative cannot resolve your dispute, you may request a hearing in writing before the Board of Water Commissioners.  Your dispute will be discussed at a regular public meeting of the Board.  A decision will be rendered and formal written notice issued within thirty (30) days of the hearing.  Any ensuing interest charges that accrue during the period your dispute is under consideration by the Board will be credited.

Delinquent Charges

All charges or bills are due and payable upon receipt.  Charges will be considered delinquent if not paid within forty-five (45) days from the billing date listed on the bill.  Charges remaining unpaid after such due date shall be subject to an interest charge at an annual rate of 14% under the provisions of Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40, Section 21E and the City of Holyoke Late Payment Ordinance.  Payment must be received by the Holyoke Water Works before the past due date. 

Shut Off for Non-Payment of Charges

Water service may be terminated to a delinquent account if payment is not made within thirty (30) days from the issuance of a final payment notice.  In addition to this provision, the Holyoke Water Works may charge a water shut-off/turn-on fee of One Hundred ($100) dollars and final notice and demand fee of fifty ($50) dollars, independent of the actual or physical termination of water service.

The Board of Water Commissioners consists of three (3) member appointed by the Holyoke City Council.  Members hold office for a period of three (3) years.

Current members are:
 

Francis X. Dwyer - Chairman (term expires January 2014)

John P. Barrett - Vice Chairman (term expires January 2015)

Mark Naidorf - Treasurer (term expires January 2016)

The Holyoke Water Works is committed to providing high quality water and professional services to our customers at competitive prices.  Listed below is the current water rate for all Holyoke customers along with a breakdown of all in-house services and their associated charges. 

Water Rate 2013

Fees and Charges for New Water Service (pdf)

Charges for Water and other Related Services (pdf)

Deposit for New Water Service and/or Water Meter (pdf)

Fines and Penalties (pdf)

Reservoirs:

Tighe-Carmody

McLean

Ashley

Whiting Street

Storage Tanks include:

West Heights storage tanks 

West Holyoke storage tank 

Low Service storage tanks 

High Service storage tanks 

Pumping Stations include:

West Heights Pumping Station 

West Holyoke/McLean Transfer Pumping Station 

Reduced West Heights Pumping Station 

Additional Facilities:

Storage and Maintenance Garages

Water Treatment Facility

In May 1991, Tighe & Bond developed a Watershed Resource Protection Plan (WRPP) for Holyoke’s Tighe-Carmody Reservoir, McLean Reservoir, and Ashley Reservoir surface water supplies.  The WRPP is intended to facilitate watershed protection efforts that will serve as the initial barrier in a multi-barrier protection scheme (watershed protection plus disinfection) to ensure a safe, potable water supply. The objectives of the WRPP are to assist in identifying potential threats to Holyoke’s supply sources, to determine whether the watersheds can be shielded from those identified threats, and to develop a protection plan to protect the water quality from future threats.   Below, we have outline the plan in it’s entirety. You can choose to download each section as outlined below:

1. Section 1 - Section 1 Introduction
2. Section 2 - Emergency Response Plan
3. Section 3 - Waterfowl Management Program
4. Section 4 - Inspection/Patrol Program
5. Section 5 - Recreational Management Plan
6. Section 6 - Reservoir Maintenance Program
7. Section 7 - Land Acquisition Program
8. Section 8 - Forest Management Program
9. Section 9 - Erosion Control Program
10. Section 10 - Public Awareness Program
11. Section 11 - Contamination Threat Program
12. Section 12 - Water Use Restriction Program
13. Section 13 - Sanitary Surveys
14. Section 14 - Water Quality Data

The Holyoke Department of Water Works is constantly monitoring and testing the quality of Holyoke’s drinking water. The safety and quality of Holyoke’s tap water is our top priority. We are committed to:

• Protect Public Health
• Protect Public Safety
• Protect the Environment

Consumer Confidence Reports

We are confident!

Holyoke Water Works is pleased to present our annual Consumer Confidence Reports. We provide the public with a compressive overview of the Holyoke Water System and an annual average water quality data. The collection of data for the preceding year is generated annually, it is analyzed and compiled, and is made available in June of each year. The 2012 report will be available in June 2013.

These  reports are generated every three years.
 

Any person, group, business, or corporation who is supplied by the public water distribution system shall be required to comply with the following Rules and Regulations established by the Board of Water Commissioners, the governing body created under the Special Acts of the Legislature.  The Board of Water Commissioners reserves the right to final interpretation or variance to these Rules and Regulations. We have outlined the sections below. Please click on the section of interest and download the document.

1. Section 1 - Definitions and General Provisions
2. Section 2 - Water Service
3. Section 3 - Conditions of Service
4. Section 4 –  Conditions of Construction
5. Section 5 –  Material Standards
6. Section 6 –  Construction Standards
7. Section 7 –  Cross Connection and Backflow Prevention
8. Section 8 –  Billing and Metering Procedures
9. Section 9 –  Termination of Water Services
10. Section 10 - Use of Fire Hydrants
11. Section 11 - Reservoir Usage
12. Section 12 - Water Loss Prevention Program
13. Section 13 - Secondary Meter Program