Repairs & Rehab Archives

Emergency Response Plan in Action at Cherry Valley & Rochdale Water District

While Emergency Response Plans (ERPs) are mandated by the EPA for most water supplies, the reality is that an ERP is a critical component whether mandated or not. The goal of an ERP is to guide and assist a water utility through emergencies, natural disasters, and articulated terrorist acts, and the intent is to present a methodical, sequential process to identify, investigate, and respond to an emergency.

ERPs are divided into two categories: Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) and Incident Specific Emergency Action Plans (ISEAPs). EAPs are broken down into five levels of emergency:

Level I – Routine
Level II – Minor
Level III – Major
Level IV – Natural Disaster
Level V – Nuclear Disaster / Terrorist Threat

ISEAPs are designed to “RIP and RUN,” outlining a specific action plan response:

Description of the event
Facilities affected
Initial notifications
Response actions
Follow-up actions

Water District Background

Cherry Valley & Rochdale Water District (CVRWD) is in the Town of Leicester, Massachusetts. It was originated by a Legislative Act in 1910 and the current population served is 3,700. It is staffed by three operators who also act as a superintendent, clerk, and treasurer. The District receives water from Worcester, MA via an automated interconnection and an 8” transmission main supplying Cherry Valley service area and maintaining operational levels in Cherry Valley storage tanks. Water is conveyed through 8-inch transmission mains from the booster pump station to supply the Rochdale service area and to sustain operational levels in the Greenville water storage tank.

While the transmission main route through the Cherry Valley service area is mainly public roads, most of the transmission mains servicing the Rochdale service area are through wetlands.

The Incident

The CVRWD suffered an incident on Sunday, October 27 in which the District’s ERP came into effect. At 3:30am, the On-Call Operator received a Low Water Storage Tank Alarm at the Greenville Water Tank. The Operator immediately notified the Superintendent. They compared SCADA trends of Greenville and Cherry Valley Tanks to confirm the alarm was for the Greenville Tank and that normal operational levels remained at the Cherry Valley Tank. At this point, they believed there was a leak in the Rochdale service area.

Sunday, October 27, 3:30am: Response and Notifications

Performed leak detection survey from booster pump station towards Rochdale service area, sounding a combination of hydrants and gate valves
Sounded triple gate just prior to the transmission main reentering the wetland and got a hit
Superintendent called first of the emergency contractors, Hydra Tech, to respond and stage at the Town’s Highway Department
Contacted Prowler Leak Detection Services to conduct a survey to pinpoint the leak
Continued to monitor the Greenville Tank level to confirm that Rochdale service area maintained positive pressure
Worked to pinpoint the leak while the Superintendent expanded the notifications
Superintendent of the Leicester Water Supply District (LWSD) discussed establishing a hydrant-to-hydrant (H-T-H) interconnection
Contacted the Town of Leicester Emergency Manager with regard to the evacuation of a Critical Care Facility and Dialysis Facility
Notified Leicester Fire Department to let them know that they had no use of hydrants in the Rochdale service area
Contacted Leicester DPW for permission to use the highway yard to stage equipment
Contacted EJ Prescott to deliver 300 feet of 2-inch water service line for H-T-H interconnection
Contacted Leicester Con Com and explained the emergency and the need to enter wetlands to repair transmission main; permission was granted and they prepared to deliver the Emergency Certificate on Monday, October 28
Superintendent contacted additional contractors to support operations

Sunday, October 27, 12:30pm: Wetland Road Construction

Began constructing road into wetlands to access leak
Road construction consisted of placement of 5’ x 18’ swamp mats which were covered with trap rock to allow construction equipment to build a 600-foot access road to leak location
Construction crews worked through the night to complete the road

Sunday, October 27, 1pm: Interconnection/Notification

Prior to activating H-T-H interconnection, contacted MassDEP (left message)
Activated H-T-H interconnection
Secured police detail to detour traffic
(2-inch water line temporarily ran on top of pavement through intersection)
Met with Emergency Manager and Deputy Fire Chief
Issued a reverse 911 to all three water districts advising of emergency and urging residents to conserve water
MassDEP called at 7pm, provided update, and agreed to call for another update the following morning (Monday)
Leak detection and road building ongoing with difficulty pinpointing leak; believed the leak was further into the wetland than originally expected
Correlation and road building went on through the night and into the next day
Even with H-T-H interconnection, Greenville Tank dropped to an uncomfortable operational level

Monday, October 28: Tanker Shuttle

T&H assisted with response and bulk tanker shuttle to fill the Greenville Tank
Calls to tanker companies posted on the MassDEP approved list resulted in securing three tankers from two companies
Booster pumping system had to be developed to fill Greenville Tank
Contacted Rain-for–Rent for a 21,000-gallon transfer tank, pump, generator and 4-inch quick connect hose which allowed for two tankers to off-load into the transfer tank at the same time
First day, two tankers operated 2pm-9pm
Tankers refilled using designated hydrant in Cherry Valley service area and unloaded at Greenville Tank
While tanker shuttle was in operation, MassDEP required bacteria and HPC samples from all approved coliform sample sites
District required to maintain a 1.0 ppm chlorine residual at the tank during tanker shuttle
Emergency light towers provided by Paxton and Holden Fire and Leicester Police Department
Tanker shuttle ran for 3.5 days and delivered ~300,000 gal of water to Greenville Tank

Tuesday, October 29, 12am: Repair/Return to Normal

Leak located, excavated, and repaired
Transmission main remained isolated and a tap was installed to allow for the addition of a sodium hypochlorite dosage of 300 mg/l
Dosage remained in contact for 24 hours
Main was flushed, water dechlorinated and sampled when achieved residual of 0.5 mg/l
Samples collected and analyzed for bacteria and HPC
All samples passed

Conclusion

The transmission main was back in service at 7:00am on November 1, and the total cost of the repair was $253,000.

There were some lessons learned from CVRWD’s emergency that the District plans to address for greater efficiency in the future:

Design and install fixed piped interconnection between LWSD and CVRWD for future use instead of the H-T-H connection
If necessary, start the Tanker Shuttle sooner
Evaluate options for replacement of 8-inch transmission main from the Booster Pump Station to the Greenville Tank; select best option, design, secure funding, bid, and replace

All in all, the District’s ERP provided the roadmap for a rapid response, clear notification system, and timely repair.

Need help creating or updating your ERP or RRA? We can help! Contact us today.

Well Field PFAS and PCE/TCE Removal, Danbury, CT

Tata & Howard is providing design and bidding of a treatment system for PFAS and PCE/TCE removal from three groundwater wells at the Kenosia Well Field.

PCE/TCE treatment includes using two 37 ‘H air stripping tower which will discharge into the new aerator wet well. Water will then be conveyed from the wet well to the four 12’W granular activated carbon vessels for PFAS treatment. Treated water will be pumped to the West Lake Reservoir for additional treatment.

The project also includes site work, electrical, HVAC and rehabilitation of the three existing groundwater wells.

Sewer Feasibility Study and Sewer System Design — New Fairfield, CT

Tata & Howard completed a Sewer Feasibility Study for the Town of New Fairfield, CT to determine the feasibility of developing a sewer service area for the Town of New Fairfield town center/business district, municipal town buildings and schools, and other properties within the proposed sewer service area as well as transporting the wastewater to the City of Danbury’s Wastewater Treatment Facility. The assessment included an estimate of projected flows for all properties within the planned service area and a comparison of total estimated flows to available capacity at the Danbury Wastewater Treatment facility. Design concept plans for the planned sewer service area included determination of collection system sewers and pump station locations. Part of the study included an evaluation of potential routes for transporting flows from the Fairfield Town Center service area to the City of Danbury collection system for treatment.

Estimated project budgetary costs for the sewer service area collection system, pump stations, and transport to the City of Danbury along with a phasing and implementation plan were included in the final draft report to the Town of New Fairfield.

Throughout the course of the project, a number of meetings with the Town were held to obtain Town input and comments including one meeting at the completion of the initial assessment phase, one meeting at the completion of the concept design phase, and a series of meetings and presentations at Town Selectboard meetings to obtain public input during the roll out of the final report.

Tata & Howard provided preliminary and final design of 2.7 miles of gravity sewers, one main pump station, four remote, submersible pump stations, 2.3 miles of force mains, , and 4,000 linear feet of low pressure sewer. The project also includes identifying easements, land acquisition plans, preparation of permitting, and bidding assistance.

Preliminary design included survey, soil borings, preparation of base mapping, identification of utility requirements, a radio path survey and an opinion of probable cost.

Final design development includes final design of the main pump station, remote pump stations, gravity sewers, force main, and low-pressure sewers for connection to the City of Danbury collection system including site plans, profiles of force main and gravity sewers, pump station structures and chambers, electrical and controls, emergency generators, odor control, erosion and control plans, etc. Also includes design of the main pump station building designed to match the local aesthetic and mask it as a non-utility structure.

Construction Documents will be prepared by phasing construction under four contracts:

Year 1 – Phase 1: Main Pump Station and force main for connection to the Danbury System and Collection System for the Town Center and commercial district (Sewer Sheds 2 [commercial],
4, 5 and 8);
Year 2 – Phase 2: Collection System connecting schools, police, and fire facilities (Sewer Sheds 1 and 2 [residential]);
Year 3 – Phase 3: Additional Collection System connecting additional commercial properties, The Birches 55+ community, The Woods at Dunham Pond 55+ community, The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, and potential future land development along Route 37 (Sewer Sheds 3, 6, and 7).

Barnstable, MA Maher WTP Upgrades

Photo courtesy of Waterline Industries Corporation

Tata & Howard provided engineering services for a completion of a pilot test proposal, pilot testing, and pilot test report to evaluate the use of granular activated carbon (GAC) to treat PFOS/PFOA, advanced oxidation to treat 1,4 dioxane, and LayneOx and greensand pressure filtration to remove iron and manganese from the source waters (Well No. 1, Well No. 2, and Well No. 3) at the existing Maher Water Treatment Plant. Pilot testing was performed, submitted, and approved by MassDEP in July 2017. The pilot test report was prepared and submitted in January 2018 to MassDEP.

Tata & Howard also provided engineering design, permitting, bidding, and construction services for the expansion of the existing Maher Water Treatment Plant. Upgrades include a new 90’ x 90’ pre-engineered metal building, GAC treatment, chemical feed upgrades, electrical upgrades at the existing plant including a new stand-by generator, and miscellaneous piping and site work. The new carbon filtration building include granular activated carbon (GAC) filters designed to remove PFAS. In addition to PFAS, the facility will include treatment processes to treat 1,4 dioxane and iron and manganese in the drinking water.

This project involved Massachusetts public construction laws and procedures.

HVWP Water Distribution and Storage Improvement Project

Background

Hooksett Village Water Precinct (HVWP) Phase I Water Distribution and Storage Improvement Project is the first of three major drinking water components of the RTIA Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District economic development initiative sponsored by the Town of Hooksett. The project consisted of the construction of 1,800 linear feet of distribution system improvements in the Vista Drive area, a new 0.40 million gallon capacity glass-fused-to-steel tank, and 350 linear feet of associated transmission main from Daniel Webster Highway to Main Street.

The Precinct has been partnering with the Town, Sewer Commission, local businesses, committees, residents and area developers to encourage TIF-based infrastructure projects. TIF can be used to fund improvements that benefit the whole community by attracting new development, revitalizing blight, and/or enacting quality of life projects. This can significantly expand the tax base and provide more or easier access to services for residents with less financial impact.

Project Details

Hydraulic modeling studies completed in 2020 as part of the Precinct’s asset management program showed that distribution improvements were needed in the Vista Drive area to relieve a bottleneck that was critically restricting flow from the existing Quarry Tank and nearby wells. The Vista Drive area water main replacement/extension was listed as a Top Priority in the Precinct’s March 2021 Asset Management Plan Update. This area is the closest and primary source of water and fire protection for the TIF District, and a direct connection to the area is imperative to efficiently transmit water to the TIF District.

The Thompson Comer Tank is critical to water system hydraulics, not only for fire flow purposes but also for redundancy, emergency resiliency, and operational flexibility. It is inextricably linked to the operation of the Quarry Tank and the TIF District. Unfortunately, it had deteriorated to the point where it needed replacement. The new, slightly larger capacity replacement tank allowed the Quarry Tank to be taken offline as needed for O&M or emergencies; provide backup storage for the TIF district; allow the Quarry Tank to operate at 100% capacity; and improve overall energy efficiency by increasing off-peak operations.

Replacement of the existing Thompson Corner Tank also served as the permanent action plan to address a Significant Deficiency outlined by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) in October 2020. The deficiency identified was severe deterioration of the coating on the inside and outside of the tank. NHDES required that funding be authorized by March 2022 and a tank construction contract be awarded by October 2022.

The cost to replace the Thompson Corner tank and install the Vista Drive area water main and associated transmission main was $2,464,000 and was funded by 2021-22 NH Drinking Water & Groundwater Trust Fund (DWGTF) and NHDES American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds.

And the Winner Is…

Each fall, the Granite State Rural Water Association holds a drinking water taste test at its Annual Operator Field Day and Exhibit. In fall 2024, just after the completion of the project, HVWP had the honor of winning the contest!

Since Hooksett Village Water Precinct won the water taste test contest at Granite State Rural Water Association Operator Field Day this fall, they were able to represent New Hampshire in the National Rural Water Association’s The Great American Water Taste Test, where they won second place out of 43 systems in the National Rural Water Association’s “The Great American Water Taste Test” in Washington D. C. in February 2025. Mike Heidorn, P.G., Superintendent, represented HVWP and accepted the award.

We are very proud of the collaboration and efforts of both HVWP and the Tata & Howard team for the incredible success of our partnership.

Meadow Walk Mixed-Use Wastewater Design / Engineering Services

Tata & Howard provided engineering services for final design and construction documents associated with the design of a wastewater treatment facility utilizing membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology for the 50-acre Meadow Walk development at 526-528 Boston Post Road in Sudbury, Massachusetts. The site is a former Raytheon engineering and R&D facility.

National Development / Avalon Bay mixed-use residential and retail development, Boston Post Road, Sudbury, MA.

Believing the site was well-suited for mixed-use residential and retail development, Sudbury selectmen and residents voted to approve zoning and development plans proposed by National Development and Avalon Bay. The site was in development for two years and is nearing completion. The project consists of several independent components, which collectively comprise a mixed-use development with new open space, retail, and restaurants as well as walkable access to adjacent retail, office, and other services along Boston Post Road. The project also included local roadway improvements, major upgrades to the streetscape and landscaping, wastewater treatment improvements, and improved water quality.

Tata & Howard was contacted initially to prepare studies of existing conditions and proposed modifications to enhance and then upgrade the wastewater facility and disposal area on the site. Additional out-of-scope changes included value engineered alternatives and additional design services. The existing wastewater treatment facility was over 25 years old and required increased discharge limits; conversion to an MBR system to achieve higher removal of BOD, TSS, TN, turbidity, and other wastewater constituents; additional treatment redundancy; upgrades to meet current Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) guidelines; increased groundwater recharge; odor control; replacement of old infrastructure with a new pump station, gravity lines, and force main; a change to mixed land/water use to result in wastewater generation that could be more efficiently treated at the new wastewater treatment facility; and a new leaching field.

Upgrades included infrastructure and a new leaching field.

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.

Air Piping Improvements – Flagstaff, AZ

Tata & Howard provided professional engineering design services to the City of Flagstaff, AZ for the replacement of three aeration units, as well as interior air piping improvements for the Rio De Flag Wastewater Reclamation Facility (WWRF). In addition, approximately 400 linear feet of existing air piping were replaced at the Rio De Flag WWRF. The exterior pipe was visibly leaking air. For technical and operational reasons, screw compressors were chosen over turbo blowers. Tata & Howard provided design services including preparation of plans, specifications, and bid documents for the installation of the new screw compressors.

The existing air flow exterior pipe gaskets had deteriorated with the heat of the existing compressed air to where the piping was a safety problem and was also wasting energy. Tata & Howard worked with the City to provide shop approvals and assisted the City’s inspector to ensure the project met the plans and specifications.

The existing blowers at the plant were 25 years old, had reached the end of their useful life, and did not ramp up and down with the wastewater flow. The new aeration units will flow pace with the changing incoming flow and saved the City enough electrical energy that it is projected to pay for the upgrade in eight years. The electrical power company (APS) offered a large rebate to reward Flagstaff for taking this energy and money saving opportunity.

Burbank Tank Rehabilitation – Millbury, MA

The Burbank Tank is a 110-year-old buried fieldstone tank located in Millbury, MA. Due to concerns from MassDEP on the age and condition of the tank, the Aquarion Water Company contracted Tata & Howard to provide design specifications and DN Tanks was selected as the tank rehabilitation contractor for installing shotcreting lining to the fieldstone walls, pouring a new concrete floor and removing pipes within the tank that are no longer in use. While the proposed work is not a structural fix for the tank, shotcreting the walls will reduce potential root intrusion, seal up areas of lost mortar, and reduce the potential for leakage. The rehabilitation was undertaken in early 2017 and completed in 8 weeks.

The Burbank Tank is the only storage tank in the water distribution system. Therefore, careful planning and evaluation of the system using the hydraulic model was required to review the options for operations without storage for an extended period of time.

Services: Repairs & Rehab