Public works outlines paving, fuel-facility and wastewater upgrades; sewer rate to rise 1.7%

Fred Gomes, director of Public Works, summarized operations, capital projects and wastewater needs during the May 19 budget hearing. Gomes reviewed five DPW divisions — engineering, building, facilities, highway and wastewater — and outlined near-term projects and budget drivers.

Paving and streets: Gomes said the department paved about 3.7 miles of road last year and maintains roughly 97 miles of town road (194 lane miles). For FY2026 the department aims to deploy about $1.3–$1.4 million for asphalt work and to introduce rubberized asphalt chip sealing on selected streets (Tillinghast Road was cited as a candidate) to extend pavement life at lower cost than full rebuilds. Gomes said the town also plans sidewalk rehabilitation funded in part by ARPA money and an RFP for Main Street rehabilitation.

Fuel facilities and fleet: The town will replace two buried fuel tanks with a single above-ground facility (a split 10,000‑gallon tank — 6,000 gallons diesel / 4,000 gallons gasoline) and a fuel management system that tracks vehicle fueling and triggers maintenance notifications.

Stormwater and highway maintenance: The highway division reported about 1,300 catch basins that the town must clean and document each year under MS4 stormwater reporting; Gomes said the town is increasing drainage maintenance budget lines in response to storm-related damage.

Wastewater and sewer program: Gomes and wastewater staff reviewed the treatment plant and collection system: four pump stations, 42 miles of gravity sewer, three miles of low-pressure force main, and a treatment plant capacity cited at 1.7 million gallons per day. Gomes outlined design and lining projects, including lining an older 8‑inch main on Main Street and replacing about 57 laterals; the Hunt’s River interceptor also requires repair. The town plans to replace an unsupported UV disinfection system with a current UV design and to design a new UV system through an engineering RFP.

Costs and rate impact: Gomes told the council the wastewater budget must absorb rising chemical costs (an increase from about $100,000 to $150,000 in the chemicals line) and higher equipment and contractual costs. To balance the wastewater fund, the proposed sewer rate would increase from $15.27 per 100 cubic feet to $15.54 (an increase of 27 cents, or about 1.7 percent).

Why it matters: road and sewer infrastructure affect public safety, resilience and property values; planned preventive maintenance (chip sealing, crack filling) is intended to stretch limited paving funds and reach more roads.

Gomes also noted personnel changes: the wastewater superintendent Sean O’Neil retired after 34 years and Riley Green, previously assistant superintendent, was appointed superintendent; the department planned interviews for an assistant superintendent.

Ending: Gomes said the work program balances preventative treatments and targeted rebuilds while pursuing grants and federal/state road funds where available; councilors asked for publicly accessible road-condition data and a five‑year paving plan the town plans to post.