On June 10, 2008, the Jones River Watershed Association, along with Mass Audubon, Save the Bay-Narragansett, the Taunton River Watershed Alliance, and the Eel River Watershed Association, sent a formal "Notice of Intent" to Brockton, the state Department of Environmental Protection, and the federal Environmental Protection Agency, giving them 60 days to comply with the Clean Water Act.
An 1899 state law granted Brockton the right to use the Class A glacial waters of Silver Lake as its primary drinking water source. Brockton now draws 8.5 million to 10 million gallons per day from the lake, supplementing the lake waters by diverting untreated water from the Monponsett and Furnace ponds into Silver Lake between October and May, as allowed through emergency legislation in 1964. Since Brockton came under a Declared Emergency in 1986, and subsequest Adminidstrative consent Orders, Brockton was ordered by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to come up with an alternative source of water. City officials began discussion with Aquaria Water LLC, and have a contract with them to buy certain quantities of water. However, Brockton seems to be rethinking its plan to buy water from the new Aquaria desalination plant when it goes online next month, due to the cost. JRWA and allies believe that now Brockton has the opportunity and the obligation to repair damage to local water sources by supplanting that burden with desalinated water from the Taunton River.
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