Lake Cochituate in Natick becomes the source of Boston’s water.

Originally Long Pond, its water flows through the 15-mile Cochituate Aqueduct, engineered by John Jervis and dug by some 3,000 Irish laborers, to the Brookline Reservoir and then to Boston Common. Additional holding reservoirs are subsequently built. Capable of supplying 16 million gallons per day, the project was supervised by city engineer Ellis Chesbrough, and makes Boston the second major city in the U.S. (after New York City in 1842) with a “pure water” municipal water system. Although the water was initially promised to be free, the city subsequently charges for the service. Although water is supplied to all neighborhoods by 1851, residents in poorer neighborhoods must rely on public hydrants because many landlords to install plumbing in their buildings. Lake Cochituate continues to serve as the primary source for Boston’s water until 1878.*