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Water/Wastewater supervisor says old clay pipes behind Middle Street sewer backups; town plans cleaning and inspection
Summary
Water/Wastewater Supervisor Timmy Bilodeau told the Select Board on Dec. 1 that failing clay pipe sections are causing repeated backups on Middle Street; staff plan Vactor cleaning, camera inspection and at least one manhole replacement, with an update expected at the next Select Board meeting.
Water/Wastewater Supervisor Timmy Bilodeau told the Select Board on Dec. 1, 2025 that repeated sewer backups on Middle Street are being caused by failing clay pipe sections and that crews found a manhole filled with dirt and clay during recent work. "The old clay pipes are falling apart," Bilodeau said, noting the line had been temporarily patched years ago with a Y connection.
Town Manager Jessica Cyr said staff distributed a map of the affected area and that the department will take short-term steps to reduce further backups. In the coming week a Vactor truck will carefully clean the line, after which crews will run a camera inspection to identify damaged sections and assess options. Bilodeau said that if the line is clear, installing a liner would be the preferred short-term repair; otherwise, at minimum, the town plans to install a new manhole where the old Y connection sits below the hospital.
Board member Kathy-Jean Lavoie asked whether the nearby hospital contributes to the problem. Bilodeau told the board the underlying condition would remain "even if the hospital was not there," saying the clay pipes themselves are deteriorating. The board discussed possible changes to manhole locations, including discontinuing the manhole in front of 129 Middle Street, and Bilodeau said he hopes to have an update and recommended next steps at the regular Select Board meeting following this work.
Cyr said the Department of Environmental Services (DES) has advised that the water department is handling cleanup and mitigation per regulations and that it is believed there would be no long-term exposure issues. The town has not reported any formal health findings to the board beyond DES's guidance.
The Select Board did not take a formal vote at the work session; staff were given direction to proceed with the cleaning and inspection and to return findings and recommended repairs at the next regular meeting.
