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Water Construction Update

Posted on: July 15, 2020 - 12:02pm

Water Ban: Since the Town enacted a Total Water Ban on June 27th the reduction of water usage has dropped by over 400,000 gallons per day. This is a savings mostly from irrigations system usage. The Town has issued over 18 violations and many warnings for irrigation system usage after the ban was in effect.

Gannett Road: Water services are being paved with a permanent asphalt patch. Some of the patches are going to be redone at the contractor’s costs as they were rejected by the Town for being too high.

Booth Hill Road: Water services are scheduled to be paved with a permanent asphalt patch when Gannett Road is complete.

Water Flushing: The Town has completed 9 phases of a UDF (uni-directional flushing) in the fall of 2019.  The removal of the pre 1935 water lines has allowed the implementation of an aggressive flushing program to attack the sediment that causes brown water.  This flushing has significantly reduced complaints about brown water.

On July 13th, the Town deployed a flushing crew to Stockbridge, Elm, Evangeline, Common Street and in Wheeler Park.  This was successful in removing material from the pipes to improve water quality. The system in this area will be watched and evaluated after it has time to settle.  If you experience brown water please let the water department know. Water should be flushed thru the outside spigot.

This task used up about 100,000 gallons of water. To complete the 9 phase uni-directional flushing program last year over 5,200,000 gallons of water and approximately 800 man-hours were required.  

Future Flushing: The DPW plans on flushing the system this fall but this work will be dependent on our water supplies and the weather. If this cannot happen in the fall it will be rescheduled for the spring.

PRV: Pressure Reduction Valve construction is complete and the Town has been seeing a significant water usage reduction in Humarock.

Dolan Well Field: Crews are working on Field Pump Testing this week. Water quality and yield are being further evaluated.

Well 17A Green Sand Filter: This project has broken ground and the crews have started building the road to access the well. This project is projected to be completed fall of 2021.

Water Main Replacement project 4A: This project has been delayed with the pandemic. The bid opening date is scheduled for mid-August 2020. This will replace many 2” water services and address old pipe at Utility, Cedarwood, Chittenden Road neighborhood.

Water Improvement History (Since 2009)

The Town has completed the following improvements to the water system this past 10 years:

  1.  26.7 miles of pipe with new Ductile Iron class 52 pipe.
  2. New water service connections from the main to the property line for 1,733 homes.
  3. 233 new Mueller Hydrants.
  4. Cleaned and lined 2.70 miles of waterline.
  5. Installed a green sand filter on well 18.
  6. Designed and preparing for construction of a green sand filter at well 17A.