Roadway Sewer Manhole Repairs Scheduled for June and July

Submitted by DPW Director David Manugian

Over the next six to eight weeks residents may see a contracted utility truck working over select manholes in the town.  Click here to view or print a scalable map of the work areas.

Heitkamp, Inc. will be doing lining and other repairs to approximately 160 sewer manholes in order to stop water from getting into the sewer system.  These manholes are spread throughout town on multiple roads; the attached map shows the roadway locations.

An ongoing issue with sewer systems is minimizing water inflow and infiltration (I&I) into the system.  Inflow typically comes from surface water sources such as flooding and heavy rains leaking in through manhole covers.  Infiltration typically comes from groundwater leaking in through cracks in manhole structures, pipes, or the connections between them.  The water that gets in both reduces the capacity of the pipes and must be treated along with the rest of the flow,thus increasing treatment costs.

The Town, working with its engineering consultant Weston and Sampson and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, has identified approximately 219,000 gallons per day of inflow and infiltration that will be removed by performing the repairs in this project.  The resultant I&I treatment cost would have otherwise been borne by the ratepayers.  Based on current sewer rates this I&I would have cost ratepayers approximately $360,000 a year.  By comparison the total project cost is approximately $200,000, with funding provided through an MWRA grant/ loan program.

Much like other infrastructure it should be noted that these repairs are part of ongoing maintenance as the sewer system continues to age.  As existing I&I is removed, new investigations are started and new sources of I&I into the system are discovered.  However early detection and repair programs such as this one can extend the life and capacity of the system at a relatively low cost.

The contractor will generally be working from 7 AM to 4 PM.  Although no roads will be closed, many roads will be narrowed to one lane in the area of work.  Bedford police will have traffic officers as needed.  Please use caution when traveling around the work sites.