The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority manages the water resources within the state. The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority was created by the legislature of the state of Massachusetts in 1984, with the goal of managing the water and waste solutions of the area. The responsibilities of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority include taking control of the water resources, and ensuring the sanitation of the water for drinking and public use, and managing the waste of the state to prevent contamination of the waters. The group works to provide wholesale water for households, businesses, and even large corporations, which run through taps and reservoirs in the area. These naturally filled reservoirs are filtered by the Massachusetts Water Authority for everyday use, and the group is responsible for notifying the public in cases of contamination of the water. The group also controls the disposal and treatment of sewage waste, and works to keep these contaminates completely separate from the drinking water of the state. The group serves over 2.5 million people in the state, within 890,000 different households and 5,500 different businesses. The Massachusetts Water Authority serves 61 different communities within the state. Frederick A. Laskey is the executive director of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, and oversees that the work of the group benefits the people of Massachusetts.