The Department of Public Works is organized into several divisions. Each of their sections in the Annual Report will be published separately to allow for better reading.
WATER/SEWER DIVISION
Deacon P. Perrotta, Superintendent
The Water and Sewer Division has had an active fiscal year in “2012”. I would be remiss if I did not start by acknowledging the retirement of Anthony Mucciarone, Director of Operations. Tony a 36 year veteran of the DPW took me under his wing and mentored me for the last two years. His good nature, warm heart and institutional knowledge were essential to the success of the Water and Sewer Department and Public Works in general. Tony’s understated management style always put the water and sewer crews first and established relationships that help solidify the union/management relationship. The majority of the customer requests for service would start by asking for Tony by name, emphasizing his relationship with the community. He will not only be missed as a colleague but as a friend. The staff all wishes you continued good health and a happy retirement.
The Water and Sewer Division is responsible for the supply of water for all purposes to residents, commercial establishments and industries in Franklin, adhering to all State and Federal regulations, and maintains adequate water supply and pressures for fire protection. This Division is also responsible for the collection of wastewater from residential, commercial and industrial sources and transmission of such wastewater to the Charles River Water Pollution Control Facility.
Other responsibilities of the Water and Sewer Division are capital planning, yearly budgeting, ordering and maintaining an adequate inventory of supplies, developing plans and specifications to meet the needs of the Division, including review of plans and specifications prepared by outside consultants.
Total Annual Water Production:
2011 2012
974,042,000 938,145,000
Water/Sewer Personnel
Personnel in this Department consist of a Superintendent, ten man water section, and a five-man sewer section. Also, four summer employees were on board to supplement our regular crews with maintenance duties.
The Department also relies on automation to provide 24 hour supervisory control over both water and sewer facilities. The Department upgraded its SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system to provide a more comprehensive and thorough overview of daily operations.
Water/Sewer Statistics
Miles of water mains …………..….160
Number of fire hydrants ………… ±2000
Number of water services ……….. 9608
Miles of gravity sewer ……………. ±110
Miles of force main sewer ……….. ±10
Number of sewer manholes …….. ±2050
Number of sewer connections …… 7300
Water Facilities
Thirteen (13) wells; Six (6) Water Storage Tanks located at (2) Hillside Road, Pleasant Street, Forge Hill, Franklin Industrial Park, and Bald Hill. Eight booster stations located at Bright Hill, Pleasant Street, Franklin Industrial Park, Jefferson Road, Cornwallis, Tanglewood, Washington Street and Susan’s Way. The town also operates a state of the art Micro Filtration treatment plant at Public Works Way.
In addition, the Town of Franklin is in a cooperative program for the operation of monitoring river and pond flow in the Charles River at Medway, Miscoe Brook in Franklin and Kingsbury Pond in Franklin by the U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division.
Sewer Facilities
Sewer pumping stations: Grove Street #1 and #2, Milliken Avenue, Franklin Industrial Park, East Central Street, Anthony Road, Sahlin Circle, Oxford Drive, Washington Street, Dawn Marie Circle, Bridle Path, Squibnocket Road, Ainsley Drive, Monterey Drive, Jackson Circle, Jefferson Road, Kenwood Circle, Miller Street, Charles River Drive, Palomino Drive, Red Gate Lane and Public Works Way.
Precipitation
July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012 precipitation recorded at the DPW Garage on Public Works Way was averaged for a total of 52.3 inches.
Precipitation July 2011 – June 2012
Month - Inches
July - 2.72
August - 8.23
September - 6.98
October - 7.30
November - 4.57
December - 4.51
January - 3.09
February - 0.60
March - 1.80
April - 4.11
May - 3.93
June - 4.46
Water Pumping Station Operators
Our Pump Station Operators monitor the daily operation of ten (10) water well pumping stations with chemical feed facilities, seven (7) water booster stations and six (6) water storage tanks.
A gauging station, which monitors the flow of the Charles River, is located on Bent Street and at Dix Brook on South Street. Included in the daily operations are the monitoring of chemical feeders and the maintenance of all pumps, electric motors, and standby power supplies. Water pump Station Operators record all daily pumping records and chemicals fed into the water distribution system which are kept on file for submission to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (D.E.P.). This section also samples Franklins’ water for bacteria once a week, for a total of over 65 samples each month. The samples are tested by a state-approved laboratory for reporting to D.E.P. The pH of the water system is monitored daily. Fluoride, which is continuously added to the Town’s water distribution system, is sampled and tested daily to ensure that the amount of fluoride added to the water is within acceptable limits set by the Department of Public Health as mandated by the Center of Disease Control.
I am extremely proud to announce that the Franklin DPW Water Operators were awarded the “2011 Water Fluoridation Quality Award” by the State Public Health Department and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, United States Department of Health and Human Services for their consistent and professional adjustment of the water fluoride content to the optimum level for oral health for 12 consistent months. Consistent, high-quality water fluoridation practice, as demonstrated by the Franklin Water Department, is a safe and effective method to prevent tooth decay, improving the oral health of community residents of all ages. Community water fluoridation has been recognized by the CDC as one of the 10 great public health achievements of our lifetime. Steve Nunnery, Richard Griffin and our newest operator J. P. McNeil were chiefly responsible for this accomplishment.
Water/Sewer Activities:
Project and plan reviews conducted by the Water and Sewer Department included:
- Grove Street water main project
- E. Central Street water main, and street reconstruction
- Wheelock Circle water main
- Pyne Circle water main
- Phase 3 Sewer construction
Our crews were also responsible for installing over 500 feet of water main on Wheelock Circle replacing a 2 inch water main. This in-house project improved fire protection through the installation of a new fire hydrant. Also water quality issues and water main dependability were greatly improved.
Water and Sewer Maintenance Crew
Water and Sewer Maintenance crews are responsible for the maintenance and repair of all water and sewer infrastructure. The crew’s responsibilities include the maintenance and repair of water mains, water gate valves, water service shut-offs and hydrants. The staff also maintains and repairs gravity sewers, sewer manholes, and sewer easements. The Water and Sewer Maintenance Crew is responsible for maintaining records of location of all existing water and sewer services for private contractors, utility companies, engineering firms, and the general public.
Our crews continued to perform the annual hydrant flushing program to help ensure high quality water and reliable fire hydrants. Our staff in conjunction with the Highway and Grounds crews flushed 1817 fire hydrants. As a result of this flushing program, the maintenance crews repaired seventy-four (74) fire hydrants and replaced four (4). In addition crews repaired four (4) hydrants truck by vehicles.
Our Water and Sewer Maintenance crews are also responsible for the repair of thirteen (13) sewer manholes and the jetting of numerous sewer and drain lines ensuring operability of the drain and sewer system. Crews repaired twenty-two (22) service leaks in conjunction with our leak detection program: eight (8) fire hydrants, one (1) water main ad thirteen (13) water services. Our leak detection program surveys over 166 miles of water main annually. This feat is accomplished using the latest electronic leak detector using audio frequencies created by underground leakage.
Digital leak noise correlators were used when needed to pinpoint leak locations. The survey resulted in finding one leak in approximately every 7.54 miles of main surveyed. Our crews assisted in twenty-nine (29) water service renewals.
Field crews were also instrumental in testing new water mains on East Central St., Old Forge Hill, Pyne Circle, Beech St., Dean College, Winter St. and South St. Testing ensures that water mains were installed properly by pressure testing and water quality is correct by chlorinating and testing mains prior to returning them to normal operation in the distribution system.
Fire flow tests were conducted and supervised in eleven (11) locations throughout town. Fire flow tests are used to determine the available flows in the distribution system under fire fighting conditions. These tests are used by the Office of Insurance Services to determine insurance rates for commercial and residential properties.
Our crews were also responsible for making fifteen (15) trench repairs, thawing out three (3) frozen service pipes. Water and Sewer crews responded to one hundred and fifty (150) service calls and fifteen (15) plugged sewers.
Lastly, and most importantly our crews effectuated six (6) main breaks last year. As expected these events happen at the least opportune times. Late night, early morning; week-ends, during snow storms or below freezing temperatures seem to beckon these emergency situations. In all circumstances our Water and Sewer Maintenance crews answer the bell and perform expletory work under the most severe conditions and complete them in a timely and most importantly safe manner.
Sewer Pump Station Operators
The Sewer Pump Station Operators keep pumping and maintenance records and monitors the daily operations of 23 sewer pump stations, and one (1) storm water lift station. This includes performing maintenance and repair on all sewer pumps, electric motors, air compressors, and standby power supplies to ensure that these facilities are kept in good operating condition.
These pumping stations must also be constantly washed down and sanitized by the Sewer Pumping Station Operators. The Sewer Pumping Station Operators are responsible for maintaining flows in all transmission mains and unclogging these mains with sewer jet machines whenever the need arises. Sewer pump stations include:; Miller Street, Dawn Marie Circle, Milliken Avenue, East Central Street, Washington Street, Jefferson Road, Kenwood Circle, Jackson Circle, Anthony Road, Franklin Industrial Park, Grove Street Stations #1 and #2, Squibnocket Road, Ainsley Drive, Charles River Drive, Red Gate Lane, Bridle Path, Oxford Drive, Monterey Drive, Sahlin Circle, Lewis Street, Populatic Street, Palomino Drive and the storm water lift station on Beth Road; all received regular and preventative maintenance.
The Water and Sewer crews were proud in completing the refurbishing of the Milliken Ave. facility to consolidate sewer appurtenances formally stored at different facilities. This reorganization has made repairs easier and more efficient.
The Water and Sewer Department strongly believes in educating its’ work force. The Department holds memberships in the New England Water Works Association, Plymouth County Water Works Association, Mass Water Works Association and the American Water Works Association. All these resources are used to help train and educate our employees.
The Water and Sewer Division provides general and technical assistance to all town departments as part of its normal duties. This year the Water and Sewer Department erected sheds at the Davis Thayer School, Senior Center, Kennedy School, and the Keller Sullivan School. In addition, the Water and Sewer Department hosts the Annual Book Sale in the Water and Sewer Garage. The Water and Sewer Division also works closely with and provides assistance to the Engineering and Highway Departments, including sanding and snow plowing operations.
As a result of a “team effort” demonstrated by all the Water and Sewer Department employees, we are able to provide excellent customer service. Thanks to the Highway and Grounds crews who were instrumental in making our flushing program a success. A special thank you to all the administrative staff for their assistance and support throughout the year. A happy and healthy retirement to Faith Flaherty our Accounts Payable clerk.
Respectfully submitted,
Deacon Perrotta
Water and Sewer Superintendent
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The first section of the DPW Annual Report can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/01/annual-report-2012-dept-of-public-works.html
The second section
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/01/annual-report-2012-dpw-engineering.html
Additional information on the DPW activities can be found on their webpage
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_DPW/index
Published by the Town Clerk, this comes from the 2012 Annual Report
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Clerk/annual/
