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Engineer outlines Narrows force main upgrades and a Kennedy bypass to protect sewer service in major storms
Summary
Environmental Design & Research briefed the board on plans to size an 18-inch force main, pursue SRF and resiliency grants, and study a bypass from Kennedy pump station to reduce Narrows’ load and keep large sections of Wareham’s sewer system online during extreme events.
Environmental Design & Research (EDR) presented a detailed update on the Narrows Force Main project and resiliency options, including a proposed resiliency bypass from the Kennedy pump station to the Narrows treatment connection.
Russ Kwikamp of EDR said the project evaluation form (PEF) to access State Revolving Fund (SRF) financing is being enhanced to emphasize nutrient removal and future connections identified in the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CWMP). He said the new force main is being sized at 18 inches to accommodate future flows and to allow future connections from mobile-home parks and other CWMP-priority areas.
On the resiliency concept, Kwikamp explained that extending a new force main from Kennedy to the Narrows would allow Kennedy to feed the plant directly if Narrows goes offline, protecting service to major facilities and many residences. Commissioners noted the proposal could reduce Narrows’ load by roughly 45 percent, improving resiliency during coastal or heavy-storm flooding that affects low-lying Narrows.
Kwikamp described permitting and design next steps (topographic survey, geotechnical borings, coordination with Conservation and MassDOT for Route 6 work) and said the town could submit the PEF by July 24; SRF selection typically is announced the following January. He suggested the board consider applying for ECO-1 Stop resiliency grants for evaluation and design funding and noted an initial engineering evaluation could strengthen grant applications.
Commissioners discussed phasing and costs: Kwikamp provided a broad order-of-magnitude estimate that the resiliency work would likely be in the millions of dollars (he said it “probably wouldn’t be over 10,000,000, but it wouldn’t be under 1,000,000”), and commissioners debated whether to bundle a Phase 4 (Kennedy bypass) with the existing $26,000,000 force-main work to realize economies of scale.
No formal vote was taken on design authorization at this meeting; commissioners asked staff and the consultant to prepare a basis-of-design proposal and cost estimate to support grant applications and, if appropriate, a warrant request for town meeting.
