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Select Board authorizes emergency South End sewer repairs, hires contractor Belden
Summary
After repeated blockages, the Select Board authorized emergency work to remove 45-degree bends and straighten a sewer run on Route 7; the board approved hiring Belden with expenditure from the water and sewer fund and directed staff to document the repair and follow up with a camera inspection.
Town road officials told the Select Board on Dec. 17 that recurring sewer blockages on the South End require immediate corrective work to remove multiple 45-degree bends and improve flow. The board authorized hiring Belden on a time-and-materials basis (town purchased materials) and agreed to fund the repair from the water and sewer fund.
Town Road Commissioner Dave Sears described repeated service calls to clear the line and said the first step is to remove the problematic 45-degree bends. "It's going to exceed $3,000," Sears said as he described the urgency and the procurement deviation proposed because of the recurring, time-sensitive nuisance.
Board discussion addressed procurement rules, the emergency justification and anticipated scope. Staff described the planned work: cut the top 45-degree bend off a manhole, cap it and install an appropriately sized 8-inch pipe to straighten the run. After the initial repair the town plans to run a camera across the road to determine whether a longer replacement or an open cut of Route 7 will be required.
The board voted in favor of authorizing the expenditure from the water and sewer fund and proceeding with Belden for the immediate repair. The motion carried by voice vote recorded as 5 in favor, 0 opposed.
Clarifying details captured at the meeting: the manhole rim-to-invert is approximately 9 feet and an excavation could be 8'12 feet deep depending on where obstructions occur. Early repair estimates discussed ranged from roughly $5,000 to $7,000, though exact final cost will depend on the camera inspection and any additional work identified.
Next steps: Belden will perform the initial bend removal; highway staff will document the repair, run a camera inspection and report back with findings and any recommendations for further (more intrusive) rehabilitation.
