~ Next Meeting: Thursday July 9th, 2026 at the Lenox Hotel with a virtual option via Zoom
~ Next Meeting: Thursday July 9th, 2026 at the Lenox Hotel with a virtual option via Zoom
Meeting agendas are posted in the Public Notices section on the City of Boston website.
Preserving the Foundations of Boston’s Historic Structures
The mission of the Boston Groundwater Trust (BGwT) is to protect more than 8,000 historic homes and buildings in Boston whose foundations are supported by wood pilings that are at risk of decay and structural failure if groundwater levels fall below safe thresholds. The accompanying video (viewed best in desktop mode) visually represents a typical row house in a filled land area in Boston. These houses are supported on wood piles capped with granite blocks, showcasing the traditional foundation method used from the 1800’s to the early 1920’s. It's evident that when the groundwater level remains above the tops of the wood piles, they can maintain their strength and effectively bear the weight of the building. However, a decline in the groundwater level leads to the exposure of wood piles to air, initiating a process of decay that compromises the stability of the building, ultimately posing safety hazards.
A nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization established in 1986 by the Boston City Council, the BGwT maintains and tracks a network of more than 800 groundwater monitoring wells, both via regularly scheduled manual inspections and in real time through electronic sensors. In addition, the BGwT assists property owners to help them comply with the City’s Groundwater Conservation Overlay District zoning requirements.
~ Celebrating 40 Years of Groundwater Stewardship 1986-2026
~ Celebrating 40 Years of Groundwater Stewardship 1986-2026
Do You Know What These Are?
Reception and Presentation at City Council
City Council Ceremony Begins at 8:50
“Together we can make Boston the greenest City in the country and one whose future is as bright as our foundations are strong .”
— Honorable Mayor Michelle Wu, City of Boston
WOOD PILE VIDEO SERIES
Wood Piles: Preserving Boston's First Deep Foundations
A look into how Boston became the City it is today and why the Boston Groundwater Trust monitors groundwater levels.
Wood Piles: Preserving and Maintaining Groundwater Levels
A look into how the Boston Groundwater Trust helps preserve and maintain groundwater levels.
Wood Piles: The Process of Underpinning
A look into the labor-intensive process of underpinning a building with decayed wood piles.