Mansfield Hollow Lake and its tributary rivers are located in the Willimantic Public Drinking Water Supply Watershed area.  Further down the Natchaug River, the Willimantic Water Works draws off water to supply drinking water to 22,000 people in Willimantic and parts of Mansfield.  Many people may wonder - if the water of Mansfield Hollow Lake is clean enough to drink, then why they can’t swim in it?  Click here for a Connecticut Department of Public Health, Drinking Water Division, Source Water Protection Law fact sheet.

The Trust for Public Lands published a toolkit for communities, Protecting Land to Safeguard Connecticut’s Drinking Water.  Click here to view this document.

Forested areas are an important part of the rural landscape in northeastern Connecticut.  Forests also provide many free services for water quality protection.  Click here for information about these valuable services.  For information on how to preserve the forested landscape in your community design plan, contact Sue Westa, Co-director of the Green Valley Institute.