Politics & Government

Police 'Keeping an Eye' on City's Water Supply

Salem's surface water supply is easier to monitor than the large and remote Quabbin Reservoir, where seven trespassers were found on Tuesday.

The Salem and Beverly drinking water supply’s primary source – Wenham Lake – is under the watchful eyes of police and many others from roads that come close to the lake.

That’s according to Thomas W. Knowlton, the superintendent of the Salem-Beverly Water Supply Board. His comments came on Wednesday in the wake of the news that seven trespassers were found early Tuesday morning at Massachusetts Water Resources Authority’s Quabbin Reservoir.

State Police spokesman David Procopio told the Boston Globe that the alleged trespassers were from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Singapore and now live in Amherst, Cambridge, Sunderland and Northampton.

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State Police and the FBI are investigating the incident at the water supply for Boston and many communities in greater Boston. An FBI spokesman also told the Globe that the Fusion Center and the Joint Terrorism Task Force have been "called in."

Knowlton said he was notified about the trespassing at the Quabbin on Tuesday.

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“It shows they are keeping a close eye on it,” Knowlton said.

While similar incidents have been reported across the country since Sept. 11, 2001, it is the first incident nearby, Knowlton said.

“The roads are fairly close to the reservoir,” Knowlton said, describing Wenham Lake. He noted that Wenham police do a good job monitoring the 224-acre lake that is on the Beverly and Wenham line. “The police are keeping an eye on things.”

The water is the water supply for the cities of Beverly and Salem plus a portion of Wenham, including Gordon College and Parson’s Hill neighborhood.

The lake is within sight of both Route 1A and Cedar Street in Wenham as well as from the treatment plant at the end of Arlington Avenue in North Beverly.

Knowlton said Wenham Lake pales in comparison to the size of the Quabbin Reservoir, which he said is “enormous.” Additionally, the Quabbin is inaccessible from main roads in many areas.

The water board also owns and operates the Putnamville Reservoir in Danvers, but since it is springtime water is not being drawn from it right now, Knowlton said. Putnamville Reservoir, much like Wenham Lake, is visible from many surrounding roads, including Locust Street, Lakeview Avenue and Reservoir Drive.

The board has not considered fencing off the water supplies, Knowlton said, since it would be easy for someone to get through a fence. Instead, it makes sure to keep a close eye on the water bodies.

Additionally, the treatment plant constantly monitors the water quality, Knowlton said.


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