The Mattapoisett River Valley (also called its Drainage Basin or Watershed) contains 18,381 acres in five communities. The Mattapoisett River Zone II (6,000 acres) lies entirely within the River Valley. While all activities on the land within the valley have the potential to harm our drinking water, those occurring within the MA DEP-designated Zone II are most critical to protect. This is the primary area where rainwater soaks into the ground to recharge the underlying aquifer from which we draw our drinking water.

The Mattapoisett River Valley has an underground aquifer that provides all the fresh water we use for drinking, recreation and agriculture in Fairhaven, Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester. In 2011, the aquifer supplied approximately 2.2 million gallons per day for domestic and commercial use. In addition, parts of Acushnet also depend on our aquifer for their private water supply.

Our Committee is responsible for advising all four towns about how to protect our water supply. We also monitor the river and watershed to ensure they are both in good health. (If words like aquifer and watershed are unfamiliar, you’ll find their definitions here.)