Naturally Natchaug Clean Water Festival
May 2
Title: “Naturally Natchaug Clean Water Festival”
Event Date: May 2, 2026 Location: Windham Water Works, Mansfield
The “Naturally Natchaug Clean Water Festival” will be held on Saturday, May 2nd from 9:30 to 3:00 pm at the Windham Water Works, 174 Storrs Road (Rte. 195) in Mansfield. This free public event is hosted by Windham Water Works, the Eastern Connecticut Conservation District and the Natchaug Watershed Advisory Board. The event encourages residents to celebrate our clean water and learn about practical actions we can take to protect our local streams, rivers and forests and ensure the watershed’s health for the benefit of people and wildlife.
The Natchaug watershed is the largest drinking water watershed in the state of Connecticut. It includes 164 square miles of land from 8 local towns, including Ashford, Chaplin, Eastford, Mansfield, Union, Willington, Windham and Woodstock. The major rivers include the Fenton, Mount Hope and the Natchaug Rivers, which collectively drain into Mansfield Hollow Lake and flow to the Willimantic Reservoir. Some of the water in the reservoir is treated by the Windham Water Works facility to supply drinking water to 22,000 customers in Willimantic and parts of Windham and Mansfield. The rest of the water flows on to join the Willimantic, Shetucket, and finally the Thames River which drains into Long Island Sound.
The Festival takes place outdoors, “rain or shine”, and will include guided tours of the water treatment facility, presentations about watershed protection topics, as well as over a dozen booths staffed by local and state environmental organizations offering educational displays, handouts, and hands-on activities for children and adults. Food will also be available for purchase. If needed, free public transportation is available from Windham Region Transit District (WRTD); Bus will pick up riders at Windham Community Center at 9:30 am and return from water works facility at 1:30 pm.
Please join us on Saturday, May 2nd, learn some new things, have some fun and celebrate how blessed we are to have healthy streams, abundant forests and access to CLEAN WATER!!
For more information, follow the “Naturally Natchaug” Facebook page or go to ECCD’s website: https://conservect.org/eastern/natchaug-watershed-project/