http://www.townonline.com/woburn/homepage/x1090156075Council
approves sewer cleanup
By Megg Crook/Staff Writer
GateHouse News Service
Thu May 17, 2007, 06:05 AM EDT
Woburn -
Half a million dollars later, the city is taking yet
another step towards revamping its sewer line in an effort to keep dirty water
out of Horn Pond.
Public
Works Superintendent Frederick W. Russell and David Palmer from Weston and
Sampson, the city-hired company working on the sewer, presented a report of the
progress so far. To continue with the project the City Council approved a
$1,016,000 loan from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority on Tuesday
night.
“We’ve made some great strides,” Russell said about the
project.
The
project, Palmer said, is in its third stage. The first two stages of pipe
restoration started in the South End and then moved to the West Side. The third stage is the area around
Lexington Street.
That area is being evaluated, Palmer said, and construction will begin in
2008.
The focus
of the problem is the Horn Pond overflow that occurs with heavy rain. Though
sewer lines should be separate from drainpipes, some of the sewers take on
rainwater in them as well, Palmer said.
“The
rainwater falls on street and collects in catch basins,” he said. “In certain
locations, catch basins can be incorrectly routed to sewer
line.”
The city
will only be required to pay the MWRA back for 55 cents for each dollar of the
loan, Russell said, but Ward 3 Alderman Scott D. Galvin had
concerns.
“It’s a
good concept, but dollar-for-dollar, it’s almost impossible to say we’re putting
up a million but it’s really half a million,” Galvin said. “Our assessment is
never going to be lowered by half a million dollars by doing this. We can’t keep
spending this kind of money.”
However,
Ward 7 Alderman Raymond B. Drapeau, who represents the West
Side, said it was a necessary expense.
“It may be
true that the cost effectiveness isn’t totally advantageous, but I think what’s
really important is to stop those overflows,” he said. “Any time I’ve witnessed
the overflow at the pond, it’s not a pretty sight. I’m glad you’re taking action
to fix it. It’ll create a better environment for those who use that
resource.”
There are
several benefits to making the improvements, Palmer explained. The repairs are
actually more cost-effective in the long run.
“There’s an
evaluation of, does it cost more to allow that manhole to continue to leak, or
is it better to spend the money up front and make that repair?” Palmer said.
“Fifteen years down road, you’ll reap those
benefits.”
Each pipe
and manhole was inspected, Palmer said, determining what needed to be replaced
and improved. Through this process, several collapsed sewer pipes were also
discovered which, if left attended, could have caused sinkholes in the
street.
“One
street was 50 plus years old, but you don’t know the
condition until you inspect it,” he said.
Drapeau
asked why Burlington’s sewer line runs through
Woburn, and
wondered if that was the cause of the problem.
“Burlington and Woburn are both part of the problem,” Russell
said. “Both have an old system, but we both contribute to that overflow. They’re
not causing it. That’s just the way it is; our lines flow through
Winchester.”
The council voted unanimously to take out the
loan.
