On Tuesday, the Water and Sewer Commission hosted a Zoom meeting to update residents on West St., Mystic Rd., and Florence Road about the upcoming water project that will begin next week.
The Superintendent of the Water, Sewer, and Public Works Department Amy McHugh; contractor N Granese and Sons; the engineer; and Fire Chief Jason Gilliland were present at the meeting.
McHugh emphasized the significance of the project, stating that the replacement and update of the existing pipe not only enhances fire flow but also ensures a higher standard of water quality, which is crucial for our community’s health and safety.
The town has successfully completed such projects before, such as on Pleasant St. and Crown Way/Cheever Ave. in 2022.
McHugh detailed the potential consequences of not proceeding with the project, particularly the tuberculation issue, which can increase the pipe’s diameter and cause water discoloration.
“This tuberculation increases the diameter of the pipe and creates discoloration of the water,” McHugh said. She clarified that this isn’t particularly bad for you but isn’t the best quality they can achieve.
She then explained the first step in the project, which is laying temporary bypass piping at the curb line along these streets.
In this process, the contractors start at one end of the street, open a trench over the existing water main, replace the pipe with a larger one, and fill the trench as they progress. The roads will reopen again every night as well.
McHugh warned those in the area to be mindful, not park on top of the hoses, and not turn off the water if they see it leaking.
She noted that they’ll begin the work on West St. and Main St. first, and they’ll begin as early as Monday of next week. She also clarified that they anticipate being done sometime by the end of June.
“We’ll have details posted,” McHugh said. “And you’ll get a click notification or knock on the door letting you know anything important, like if you have to park your car somewhere else…feel free to contact anyone with any concerns.”