General Services Archives

Everett, MA Lead Service Line Replacement

Tata & Howard assisted the City of Everett, MA with their Lead Service Replacement Project from 2018-2024. Phases 1 and 2 included replacement or material confirmation of approximately 580 services between spring 2019 and fall 2022. Phase 3 of the project addressed an additional 300 services. Tata & Howard provided design, construction administration, and resident project representative services for all three phases of the project.

Design services included attending the kickoff meeting with City and reviewing existing information including tie-cards, the City’s existing GIS database that includes service material, and the City’s master list of services with service material. Each service was field verified to confirm exterior conditions. Each design phase included completion of 50% and 95% design documents, preparation of probable cost estimates, preparation of bid documents and coordination with purchasing agent, attending meetings with City, and providing recommendation to award contract to the lowest qualified bidder.

Construction Administration services for each phase included attendance at progress meetings and site visits, review of submittals, request for information, and purchasing change orders and payment applications. As-built record tie-cards were completed for each address and the master inventory of service material was updated as construction on each phase progressed.

Resident Project Representation services included full time on-site observation during construction, reviewing schedules, serving as Engineers’ liaison with Contractor, completing reports, reviewing pay apps, and issuing certification of substantial completion.

Grafton Water District, Trinity Avenue Well Site and Pump Station

Tata & Howard provided engineering services for permitting, design, and bidding of the Trinity Avenue Pump Station at the Trinity Avenue Wellfield (new source) and provided assistance with permitting, design, and reporting to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) for the proposed Trinity Avenue Well site.

The property was owned by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW), and the Grafton Water District swapped land with the DFW to obtain ownership and control of the Trinity Avenue site. Test wells were installed and short-term pump tests were completed on each of the wells. Based on the results of the tests, it was recommended to install a three well configuration of 18-inch x 12-inch gravel packed wells resulting in approximately 840 gallons per minute (gpm). The work under this contract included the completion of the Request for Site Exam and Pump Test Proposal for submission to MassDEP, installation and development of three (3) 18” x 12” gravel packed wells and pitless adapters, installation and development of approximately five 2-1/2” diameter observation wells, installation of two staff gages and piezometers, performing a five-day pump test, and collection and analysis of water quality.

The project also included an evaluation of alternatives for the access road including installation of a bridge or an open bottomed culvert, and Tata & Howard assisted with the preparation of permanent easements for the installation of utilities and roadway to the well site. In addition, Tata & Howard prepared and submitted an NOI to the Grafon Conservation Commission.

Design included double wythe block and interior concrete painted block with wood truss roof and asphaltic shingles. Security included chain link fence, gates, locks, intrusion alarms, and lighting. Tata & Howard also assisted with the coordination of the installation of three-phase power to site. Chemical feed at the station includes KOH for pH adjustment and chlorine gas for disinfection. Standby power was included in an outdoor enclosure. The design also included 900 feet of new 12-inch water main for 4-log removal.

Tata & Howard also provided construction administration and resident observation services.

Newton, MA – Lead Service Replacement Program

Tata & Howard was contracted to provide design, construction administration and resident project representation for the replacement of 588 lead services in Newton, MA. Although the water that services the City is not corrosive, replacing lead services is a cautious and preventative measure to avoid lead from potentially leaching into tap water via the service connection which is located from the water main to the meter.

Lead pipes are more likely to be found in older cities and homes built before 1986. As such, the affected lead services in Newton were installed between 1875 and 1915. Of the 588 total services;

318 were full-service replacements (from water main to meter)
266 were partial-service replacements (from curb stop to meter)
4 were street only replacements (from water main to curb stop)

Prior to the construction phase of this project, Newton residents were notified about the City’s Lead Service Replacement Program (LSRP). Although not required, those wishing to participate in the program were able to take advantage of a ten-year, no interest payment plan through the City.
Under the LSRP, the City replaced, at its own expense, the portion of the water service pipe which was within the public way from the street line in front of the homeowner’s property, to the City water main. The homeowner then had the option to replace the portion of the water service pipe that ran from their meter to the property line.

Tata & Howard scheduled construction and coordinated with the residents who elected to participate in the LSRP. Crews from C.J.P & Sons Construction worked to excavate the properties and remove/replace the water service pipes. In most cases, limited excavation of homeowner property was needed.

When the project reached completion, 427 total services had been replaced.

(De)leading the Way – Marlborough, MA

The City of Marlborough, MA (home of T&H headquarters) contracted Tata & Howard for the design, pre-construction services, construction administration and resident observation of approximately 1,200 lead water service connections.
Until 1944, lead was widely used in service lines and is quite common in many of the older cities and towns in Massachusetts.

Lead pipes currently placed between the streets and homes of identified Marlborough residents will be replaced with copper pipes in five phases – each phase consisting of approximately 250 homes.

Tata & Howard will be involved in each phase, reviewing tie cards, attending field surveys to determine what each service placement will entail, and advising contractors on the quantity of pipes to be installed in each location.

Although lead is known to be a major health risk to children and pregnant women, the supplier of Marlborough’s water, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), treats all water to reduce lead from getting into drinking water.

Falmouth Main Street Water Main Construction

Tata & Howard was contracted to provide design, construction administration and resident observation for the installation of 18,000 linear feet (approximately 3.5 miles) of 16-inch ductile iron water main in Falmouth, MA. Water main replacement will be in Main Street and Route 28. That is, from the intersection of West Main Street and Locust Street, to the intersection of Teaticket Highway and Oxbow Road

New water main will be replacing the town’s 10-inch cast iron water pipes that were originally installed in 1898. Falmouth’s 121-year-old water infrastructure has stood strong for more than a century; however, it has become clear that it’s nearing the end of its useful life and approaching the age at which it needs to be replaced. Evidence of this can be seen in the three water main breaks that have occurred since August of 2018. In addition, the original water main is hydraulically deficient and needs to be up-sized to meet the increasing demands in the system.

Construction began at the beginning of April and continued up until Memorial Day of this year. Construction was limited to off season times due to the heavy tourist months in Cape Cod. Project completion was in the spring of 2021.

Hemlocks Raw Water Pumping Station

Tata & Howard provided engineering services for design, bidding, construction administration, and resident observation to Aquarion Water Company for improvements to their existing Hemlocks Raw Water Pumping Station in Fairfield, CT. The project included refurbishing five 300 hp centrifugal pumps and motors, replacing the existing variable frequency drives (VFDs), installing new piping, check valves, and strainers for each pump.

Hemlocks Pumps — BEFORE improvements to the Hemlocks Pumping Station.

As this facility is a source of supply for Aquarion’s Main System, it needed to be kept operational throughout the construction. The sequence of work required a single pump to be taken off line; refurbished; reinstalled with new piping, VFD, and appurtenances; tested and placed back into service prior to the next pump being taken off line.

Hemlock Pumps — AFTER improvements to the Hemlocks Pumping Station.

Another important aspect of the project was to replace the existing strainers so that they were easier for the plant operators to clean as they get clogged with eels. To simplify maintenance, new stainless steel wye strainers with bottom access to the screens were installed on the suction side of each pump.

Chamberlain Highway Receives New Water Main Connections

The Chamberlain Highway in Meridan, Connecticut has 536 linear feet of new 16-inch ductile iron main and two new fire hydrants. After Tata & Howard completed several test pits to verify connection locations at each end of the new main, construction work started on May 3, 2018 with the installation of a 16” x 16” tapping sleeve and valve at the north end of the project. This existing water main at the north end connection was originally installed in 1894.

Work progressed south until the new main was approximately 50 feet away from the other connection point in West Main Street. Connections to the existing main in West Main Street was performed over a 36-hour period due to the complexity and amount of utilities around the service connection, including a live 24-inch water main five feet away and multiple telephone conduits located 6 inches above the replaced main. Tata & Howard personnel on site at all times to observe that work was in performed in accordance to the plans and specifications.

Following the completion of the Chamberlain Highway water infrastructure improvement project, work to replace two water mains on the state-owned bridge crossing Sodom Brook in Meridan will begin.

Water Treatment Facility, Water Mains, and River Crossing Horizontal Directional Drilling

Tata & Howard provided design and construction services for the construction of a 1.44 mgd water treatment facility. The water treatment facility consists of a concrete block masonry building housing filtration equipment, a laboratory and office space, and associated piping, instrumentation and controls. Building components including HVAC, plumbing, and electrical services were incorporated in the facility. Other work included, but is not necessarily limited to, site work, exterior piping systems, and electrical work at an existing well pump station.

Tata & Howard also provided design and construction services for the installation of approximately 5,000 linear feet of new 12-inch high-density polyethylene (HDPE) water main (two parallel pipes at 2,500 linear feet, each) via directional drilling beneath the Pemigewasset River, connecting the City’s Franklin Falls Well Site and the City’s Acme Well Site.

Tata & Howard provided design and construction services for the installation of approximately 2,655 linear feet of 12-inch diameter Class 52 ductile iron water main, water services, and associated valves, fittings, and hydrants on Hill Road (New Hampshire Route 3A) and a service road connecting Hill Road to the City’s Acme Well site; approximately 4,000 linear feet of 12-inch water main, water services, and associated valves, fittings, and hydrants on Lawndale Avenue, Webster Lake Road, and Kimball Street; approximately 3,200 linear feet along Lawndale Avenue; 1,200 linear feet along Webster Lake Road; and 600 linear feet along Kimball Street. The work also included pavement restoration on Lawndale Avenue, Webster Lake Road, and Kimball Street.

The project was funded by NHDES and the USDA Rural Development office.

On-Call Water Engineering Services, Franklin, NH

Tata & Howard has been assisting the City of Franklin, New Hampshire with general water engineering services since 2009. The Tata & Howard team has managed several phases of work, including the design and construction of the water treatment plant and distribution system improvements.

The first phase was the design and construction of 2,500 linear feet of water main on Hill Road to connect a new water treatment plant to the City’s distribution system. This project also involved use of four bioretention systems to treat and manage stormwater from the roadway, and was constructed in 2010.

The second phase of our work with the City included the design and construction of two parallel 2,500 LF sections of 12-inch diameter HDPE crossings beneath the Pemigewasset River using horizontal directional drilling to transport water from the City’s Franklin Falls Well to the water treatment plant site.

Tata & Howard managed the survey and geophysical studies and prepared a Preliminary Design Report and Environmental Review documents for several phases of work. The City’s wells are surrounded by lands controlled by the US Army Corps of Engineers, which required that we complete an extensive permitting process to secure permissions for the final design of the project.

Tata & Howard completed design, construction, permitting, and funding applications for a 1,000 gallons per minute groundwater treatment plant to remove iron and manganese from three of the City’s wells. The plant has four pressure filters containing Greensand Plus media and using sodium hypochlorite for oxidation and sodium carbonate (soda ash) for pH adjustment. This plant went online July 9, 2012.

Tata & Howard provided design services for the construction of a new prestressed concrete tank at the site of an existing tank. The existing tank was in poor condition and due to the site characteristics, it was determined that construction of the new tank on the existing foundation of the old tank would be the best option. A second tank on the site was demolished in 2013 and a new prestressed concrete tank will be constructed in its place.

Tata & Howard also conducted a full water system analysis for the City of Franklin, New Hampshire by utilizing our proprietary Capital Efficiency Plan™ methodology. Our CEP involved creating a model of all water infrastructure in the City including sources, pump stations, treatment facilities, storage facilities, transmission, and distribution lines. Using our GIS modeling software, the system was calibrated based on fire flows in an attempt to accurately replicate the existing system. We then pinpointed deficiencies within the system based on a custom rating scale given to multiple criteria such as age, break history, material type, criticality and size. Recommendations were made for improvements in order of need. The study renewed both above ground and below ground assets. Funding for this study was in part from an Asset Management Planning Grant from NHDES.

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CMWP, CMOM, and I/I Evaluation, Milford, MA

Tata & Howard is providing all engineering support services related to the operation of and modifications to the Town’s wastewater collection, pumping, and treatment systems including preparation of a Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CWMP) and preparation of a comprehensive Infiltration/Inflow (I/I) Evaluation. In addition, we are providing all ongoing support services related to the preparation of a Capacity, Management, Operations, and Maintenance (CMOM) program to meet US EPA’s regulations as well as technical assistance on the renewal of the Town’s NPDES permit. Included in this project is the preparation of the Town’s I/I control plan and all annual updates, preparation of the Town’s sewer use regulations and standard specifications for sewer construction, review of plans for all private developments, and review of all applications for industrial wastewater connection permits and pretreatment reports.

All services related to I/I identification, evaluation, and removal performed on the Milford’s sewer system, which consists of approximately 100 miles of interceptor sewers and mains, including an innovative sump pump removal program, has resulted in a dramatic reduction in extraneous flow to the system.

Services: General Services