The Dedham-Westwood Water District is a governmental entity created by the Massachusetts State Legislature in 1985 to operate as an independent, self-supporting unit of local government. Rates are set by the Board of Water Commissioners to cover all costs of delivering public water supply in compliance with all federal and state requirements including the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. Policy is also set by the Board, a six member commission with three commissioners from both Dedham and Westwood, appointed by the Select Boards of both Towns. Public meetings are held each month at the District’s office at 50 Elm Street in Dedham, generally the second and last Tuesday evenings each month. Dates and times of meetings are posted at both town halls and on this site. All customers are encouraged to attend these meetings.
In our continuing efforts to maintain a safe and dependable water supply, it will be necessary to continuously improve your water system. We ask that all our customers help us protect our water sources, which are at the heart of our community, our way of life and our children’s future. Important educational information on resource protection, conservation, and other current issues is included in the District’s newsletter mailed with bills or posted on our customer portal.
Today, the Dedham-Westwood Water District supplies over 13,000 service connections to approximately 40,000 people through 212 miles of main. On an average day the District pumps about 4.25 million gallons of water from seventeen groundwater wells, six in Westwood and eleven in Dedham.
The Dedham Water Company was founded by an act of incorporation through the Legislature in 1876 recognizing a need for a public water supply for the townspeople of Dedham. According to the First Annual Report, no significant action was taken, however, until 1881 when funds were appropriated to hire an engineer after “the recurrence of successive dry seasons…
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AS APPROVED BY THE DEDHAM-WESTWOOD WATER DISTRICT BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS 5/2/2023