Quabbin Reservoir inequity, Hampden County courthouse controversy

By Carrie Saldo

Published July 17, 2026 at 10:43 AM EDT

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This week's panel for The Rundown includes Dusty Christensen, investigations editor at The Shoestring; Erin-Leigh Hoffman, reporter with the Greenfield Recorder; Phil Bishop, NEPM news reporter; and Rich Parr, vice president at the MassINC Polling Group.

Lex Edwards / NEPM

Quabbin Reservoir in western Massachusetts is one of the largest unfiltered water supplies in the United States, according to the state. It is a primary source of high quality water for Boston through the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority water supply system. The 412 billion gallon reservoir covers 39 square miles with 181 miles of shoreline. Recreational activities are regulated and limited to protect 2.7 million people’s drinking water.

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Quabbin Reservoir in western Massachusetts is one of the largest unfiltered water supplies in the U.S., according to the state. It is a primary source of high quality water for Boston through the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority water supply system. The 412 billion gallon reservoir covers 39 square miles with 181 miles of shoreline. Recreational activities are regulated and limited to protect 2.7 million people’s drinking water.

Executive office of Energy and Environmental Affairs / mass.gov

The inequity of being the clean air and water resource for the state is bubbling to the surface in western Mass. in at least two recent news stories about the communities of the Quabbin Reservoir. We’ll unpack the details.

And, on heels of last week’s discussion about the controversy surrounding the winning bid to develop a new court house in Springfield, detailed reporting from the Springfield Republican newspaper reveals that the winning bidder, in the state’s eyes, was the third place choice among court house officials.

Plus, as The World Cup winds down this weekend, and a soccer mystery in the 413 that’s proving to be less whodunnit and more "why wasn’t it done…”

We’re running down all of that and more this week with our panel: Dusty Christensen, investigations editor at The Shoestring; Erin-Leigh Hoffman, reporter with the Greenfield Recorder; Phil Bishop, NEPM news reporter; and Rich Parr, vice president at the MassINC Polling Group.