Watershed Management and Water Supply. A conversation with Dave Kaplan.

Water is the source of all life, and managing a city’s water supply is no menial task. unPlanned asks Dave Kaplan of the Cambridge Water Department just how his city manages its water. To answer that question, Dave takes us on a tour of the watershed that feeds the city. We learn how vegetation works as a natural filtration system. We also learn about the importance of handling runoff from parking lots and roadways, a huge source of pollutants in the water table. And we go and find source waters that help this city of 100,000 not just survive but thrive. We learn about Cambridge’s unique history of water management in the state of Massachusetts, and finally, we visit one of the reservoirs that holds the city’s water before it travels to Fresh Pond for treatment and then consumption by its residents.