From his native Italy, with his wife and children, Luigi Bondi came to Springfield in the late 1800's. With a successful venture in the produce business under his belt, he started acquiring land in and around Springfield. He purchased an Island (Bondi's Island) on the Connecticut River in 1889 for $100.00. It was common practice in those days to measure real estate in approximations to local landmarks, unfortunately landmarks change as time goes on so it is not known for certain where the original Bondi's Island lies. Speculation and local lore has the Island under the west end of the memorial bridge. So why is the Springfield Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (SRWTF) nicknamed "Bondi's Island"? Locals have said that Luigi Bondi also purchased land in West Springfield surrounded on three sides by water the (Connecticut and Agawam Rivers). These plots of land are guessed to be what was known as Big Island and Hermit Island. Hermit island was also known to some as Little Island or Cambell's Island. He had peach trees on the island for his produce business and had plans to make a recreation area one day. As time went on the course of the river may have changed or branches may have been filled in or dried up and the two islands became one. This is the plot of land that Luigi was said to have purchased and is the current location of the SRWTF.
The first wastewater treatment plant was built in 1938-39 and at the time, was a state of the art Primary treatment plant which contributed greatly to the quality of the Connecticut and Chicopee rivers. However it was not until 1960 that all the sewage generated in Springfield went to the treatment facility.
In 1968, the land north west of the treatment plant started being used as a landfill, and by now more of the water being treated at the treatment plant was coming from surrounding communities. As a result of the 1972 Clean Water Act and increased demand being placed on the treatment plant, a new state of the art regional Secondary wastewater treatment facility was put online in 1977 treating the wastewater of Springfield, West Springfield, Longmeadow, Wilbraham, East Longmeadow, Ludlow, Agawam and parts of Chicopee.
Since 1988, five other waste management facilities have been established on Bondi's Island. This is a far cry from the recreational park Luigi Bondi had envisioned a century ago, but it is hoped he would advocate the use of his land as a center of environmental protection.
