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Municipal Infrastructure Report

The Municipal Infrastructure Report (MIR) encompasses a study of the major elements of the Town’s infrastructure under the responsibility of the Board of Public Works (BPW). These include: North Attleborough’s Roads, Bridges, Sidewalks, Wastewater Treatment Facility, Sewer Collection and Water Distribution Systems, Pump Stations, Water Treatment Facilities, Drainage structures, and DPW Vehicles and Equipment.

The municipal infrastructure typically represents one of the largest investments for a community. North Attleborough's infrastructure replacement value has been conservatively estimated at over $225,000,000. Consequently, it is very important that the Town's infrastructure continue to be managed efficiently and effectively.

The benefits of a comprehensive municipal infrastructure plan include: a better understanding of the total infrastructure needs within the community, improved management practices and better decision making; increased ability to determine the overall infrastructure replacement/repair costs thus allowing officials to seek the most appropriate funding options from local, state and federal sources; and less time and effort to update annual operating and capital budgets.

The MIR was accomplished by using the following approach:

Physical inventory of the infrastructure elements
Analysis of the condition, age, and repair/replacement needs
Computerization of the data associated with this information
Determination of the cost to repair/replace
Prioritization of the infrastructure categories and individual projects with respect to when they should be replaced/repaired

FUNDING:

The Town of North Attleborough identifies and prioritizes its anticipated capital expenditures each year in a five year Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The CIP has two major components: the Capital Budget, which is the first year of the program; and the Capital Plan, which is represented by the remaining four years.

The BPW's future capital requests average over $7.5 million annually, or nearly $38 million for the five year program. In the recent past, however, there has been approximately $600,000 to $900,000 spent annually for Capital Improvement Projects. This allotment represents approximately 13% of the requested amount. The gap between these two figures is substantial and has caused replacement/repair schedules to be lengthened. Presently, the replacement/repair for infrastructure under the jurisdiction of the BPW is funded through various methods: Taxation, Water Enterprise Fund, Chapter 90, and State Revolving Fund grants (SRF). For the past several years, the Town of North Attleborough has received approximately $550,000 annually for road- related projects through Chapter 90. Obviously, in order to complete the requested capital projects, additional funding is needed.

CONCLUSION:

This document was created to identify, evaluate and prioritize all of the BPW capital needs for the immediate future. It has been noted that there have not been adequate funds allocated for Capital Improvement Projects in the recent past. Efforts to combat this problem, however, are currently being investigated through two Adhoc committees sponsored by the Board of Selectman.

The information contained in the MIR will be updated annually to reflect changing priorities, new technologies, future Federal and State regulations, and public input. Additionally, future items may include a comprehensive look at intersection improvements, new federal regulations such as NPDES Stormwater Phase II, and an expanded new sidewalk program. The MIR will be shared with other utilities in the Town of North Attleborough such as the North Attleborough Gas Company, North Attleborough Electric Department, etc. in an effort to coordinate replacement/repair schedules thereby minimizing disruption to the public. This document will also be provided to the Town's political representatives in an effort to seek their support for additional funding for these important projects. Additionally, it is planned to hold a public hearing in the very near future to allow for citizen input on this matter.

The municipal infrastructure is vitally important to the social, economic and environmental well being of our community. While infrastructure repair and replacement can be costly, it should be viewed as an investment in the future of North Attleboro.

Table of Contents for Municipal Infrastructure:

Bridges

There are 18 bridges under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works within the Town of North Attleborough. Some of the bridges have recently been reconstructed such as the Towne Street Bridge, the Mount Hope Street Bridge and the Fisher Street Bridge.

During 1999, the Board of Public Works recently contracted with Beta Engineering to complete a comprehensive evaluation of the 18 bridges. This evaluation included:

• Field Inspection for each of the 18 bridges
• Update of the Load Rating
• Repair/Replacement cost budgeting (View in Current Window OR View in New Window)
• Prioritize repair/replacement schedule
• Estimated life expectancy for each structure
• Evaluation Report
• Summary of potential funding sources

The evaluation indicated that one bridge, Huntsbridge Road Bridge, is in poor condition and is on the State of Massachusetts "Red List". A Red List designation means the State has identified the bridge as being deficient and in need of extensive repair or replacement. Bridges on the Red List are inspected twice per year, and could require action at anytime. Beta Engineering is currently designing temporary repairs to this bridge. This will keep the bridge useable for the near future until State funding is received for complete rehabilitation.

Bridge Prioritization:

The eighteen structures that were evaluated as part of this program have been prioritized I through 18, with I being of highest priority. Below is a  summary of the recommendations for each structure.  In general, the first thirteen structures were found to have varying levels of structural and safety deficiencies. The remaining five structures have either very minor deficiencies or are currently under reconstruction and therefore require little attention at the present time.

Priority I - Huntsbridge Road over the Abbotts Run River

Huntsbridge Road Bridge (Br. No. N-16-05) is a stone arch structure spanning the Abbotts Run River. This structure is in very poor condition with numerous structural and safety deficiencies noted. This bridge currently has an AASHTO sufficiency rating of 17.0 and a five-ton posted weight limit. The Southeast spandrel wall requires immediate repair to prevent structural failure. This bridge has been accepted into the Massachusetts Highway Department's Footprint Bridge Program. Under this program the entire bridge will be scheduled for replacement and funded by the Massachusetts Highway Department.

Priority 2 - Fisher Street over the Ten Mile River

Fisher Street Bridge (Br. No. N-16-17) is a steel stringer structure spanning the Ten Mile River. This structure is in very poor condition with substantial section loss on the steel stringers with severe deterioration of the concrete deck. This bridge is currently posted for 8 Tons. Construction drawings and Design Specifications for structure rehabilitation have been prepared by BETA.

Priority 3 - Chestnut Street over the Ten Mile River

Chestnut Street Bridge (Br. No. N-16-14) is a steel stringer structure spanning the Ten Mile River. This structure is in very poor condition with substantial section loss on the steel stringers with severe deterioration of the concrete deck. This bridge is currently posted for 10 Tons. BETA recommends a complete replacement of the existing superstructure and rehabilitation of the existing concrete substructure.

Priority 4 - Mendon Road over the Abbotts Run River

Mendon Road Bridge (Br. No. N- 16-04) is a steel stringer structure spanning the Abbotts Run River. This structure is in marginal condition with several noted deficiencies. There are many voids (up to 4'-6" deep) in the stone masonry abutments. Sidewalk, Safety Curb, and Endposts; exhibit a high level of concrete deterioration. The Town of North Attleborough is considering realignment of Mendon Road. This bridge is currently not posted. This bridge may be eligible for the Massachusetts Highway Department's Footprint Bridge Program.

Priority 5 - Cushman Road over the Abbotts Run River

Cushman Road Bridge (Br. No. N- 16-03) is a prestressed plank structure spanning the Abbotts Run River. This structure is in fair condition with several noted deficiencies. The guardrail is in very poor condition. The narrow roadway width and poor alignment impose a significant hazard to pedestrians and motorists. BETA recommends complete replacement of the bridge structure since it is functionally obsolete with respect to roadway width and bridge railings. Improved roadway alignment, sidewalks, utility supports and historical considerations should be integrated into the design of the new structure. This bridge is currently not posted. This bridge may be eligible for the Massachusetts Highway Department's Footprint Bridge Program

Priority 6 - Broadway over Scotts Brook

Broadway Bridge (Br. No. N-16-21) is a cast-in-place deck slab structure on rubble stone masonry abutments spanning the Ten Mile River. This structure is in poor to fair condition with several deficiencies noted. There are several voids (up to 3' deep) and dislodgment of some stones in abutments. The East side of the North abutment is bulging and in need of repair. This bridge is currently not posted. Based on our field observations the structure appears to be performing adequately and meets the minimum statutory AASHTO loading requirements. BETA recommends that the Town schedule this the structure for repairs and rehabilitation.

Priority 7 - Old Post Road over the Seven Mile River

Old Post Road Bridges (Br. No. N-16-02) are granite slab structures spanning the Seven Mile River. These structures are in fair condition with some deficiencies noted. Three slabs in the South bridge have collapsed and railroad tracks are supporting a slab in the North bridge. This bridge is currently posted for 12 Tons. Based on our field observations the structure does not appear to be performing adequately. Construction drawings and Design Specifications for structure replacement have been prepared by BETA.

Priority 8 - Broad Street over the Ten Mile River (North Bridge) Broad Street Bridge (Br. No. N- 16-20) is a granite slab structure spanning the Ten Mile River. This structure is in fair condition with several deficiencies noted. There are numerous areas where stones are either missing or displaced (up to V) in the loose laid stone masonry abutments. This bridge is currently posted for 12 Tons. Based on our field observations the structure does not appear to be performing adequately. BETA recommends a complete replacement of the structure.

Priority 9 - Freeman Street over the Ten Mile River

Freeman Street Bridge (Br. No. N-16-09) is a cast-in-place T-Beam superstructure with concrete abutments spanning the Ten Mile River. This structure is in fair condition with several deficiencies noted. There are many spalls with exposed rebar and hollow sounding areas. This bridge is currently not posted. Based on our field observations the structure appears to be performing adequately and meets the minimum statutory AASHTO loading requirements. BETA recommends that the Town schedule this the structure for repairs and rehabilitation.

Priority 10 - Avery Street over Scotts Brook

Avery Street Bridge (Br. No. N- 16-22) is a cast-in-place deck structure spanning across Scotts Brook. This structure is in fair condition with minor deficiencies noted. This bridge is currently not posted. Based on our field observations the structure appears to be performing adequately and meets the minimum statutory AASHTO loading requirements. BETA recommends that the Town schedule this the structure for repairs and rehabilitation.

Priority I I - Mansfield Road over the Bungay River

Mansfield Road (Br. No. N-16-07) consists of three concrete pipes and one cast-in-place concrete box culvert structure spanning the Bungay River. This structure is in good condition with minor deficiencies noted. This structure is currently not posted. Based on our field observations the structure appears to be performing adequately and meets the minimum statutory AASHTO loading requirements. BETA recommends that the Town schedule this the structure for repairs and rehabilitation.

Priority 12 - Draper Avenue over the Seven Mile River

Draper Avenue Bridge (Br. No. N-16-01) is a cast-in-place concrete structure spanning the Seven Mile River. This structure is in fair condition with minor deficiencies noted. This structure is currently not posted. Based on our field observations the structure appears to be performing adequately and meets the minimum statutory AASHTO loading requirements. BETA recommends that the Town schedule this the structure for repairs and rehabilitation. The following items should be addressed to extend the life of the structure and improve safety:

• Replace approach guardrail.

• Repair spall on South guardrail.

• General maintenance including removal of debris.

Priority 13 - Broad Street over the Ten Mile River (South Bridge)

Broad Street Bridge (Br. No. N-16-19) is a granite slab structure spanning across the Ten Mile River. This bridge appears to be abandoned. Heavy overgrowth at the opening, and limited visibility hampered the inspection of the underside of the structure. This bridge is currently posted for 12 Tons. Based on our field observations the structure does not appear to be performing adequately. The Town should strictly enforce the posted load rating. Since the structure does not serve any purpose, BETA recommends that the Town schedule its permanent removal.

Priority 14 - Cedar Road over the Ten Mile River

Cedar Road Bridge (Br. No. N-16-23) is a three span concrete box culvert structure spanning across the Ten Mile River. This bridge is in good condition with minor deficiencies noted. This bridge is currently not posted. Based on our field observations the structure appears to be performing adequately and meets the minimum statutory AASHTO loading requirements. BETA recommends that the Town schedule this the structure for repairs and rehabilitation. The following items should be addressed to extend the life of the structure and improve safety:

• Repair of concrete sonatube caps on approaches.

• General maintenance including removal of debris.

Priority 15 - Orne Street over the Ten Mile River

Orne Street Bridge (Br. No. N-16-'16) is a prestressed concrete structure spanning the Ten Mile River. This bridge is in good condition with minor deficiencies noted. This bridge is currently not posted. Based on our field observations the structure appears to be performing adequately and meets the minimum statutory AASHTO loading requirements. The following items should be addressed to extend the life of the structure and improve safety:

• Repair of the control joint located at the Northeast backside of the sidewalk.

• Repair of scoured area located at West Abutment adjacent to drain pipe.

• General maintenance including removal of debris.

Priority 16 - Paine Road over the Abbotts Run River

Paine Road Bridge (Br. No. N-16-06) is a cast-in-place concrete box structure spanning the Abbotts Run River. This bridge is in good condition with minor deficiencies noted. This bridge is currently not posted. Based on our field observations the structure appears to be performing adequately and meets the minimum statutory AASHTO loading requirements. The following items should be addressed to extend the life of the structure and improve safety:

• General maintenance including removal of vegetation should be performed.

Priority 17 - Towne Street over the Ten Mile River

Towne Street Bridge (Br. No. N- 16-11) is a dual precast structure spanning across the Ten Mile River. This bridge, constructed in 1995, is in excellent condition with minor deficiencies noted. This bridge is currently not posted. Based on our field observations the structure appears to be performing adequately and meets the minimum statutory AASHTO loading requirements. The following items should be addressed to extend the life of the structure and improve safety:

• Tighten/replace of nuts/bolts on guardrail.

Priority 18 - Mount Hope Street over the Ten Mile River

Mount Hope Street Bridge (Br. No. N-16-12) is currently under construction by the Massachusetts Highway Department. This bridge will be constructed of 12" deep precast prestressed butted beams. This structure will span across the Ten Mile River. The completion date for construction is expected to be early winter or late fall of 1999.

FLEET REPLACEMENT PROGRAM

Keeping the Town's infrastructure in good condition requires that vehicles and equipment used for infrastructure maintenance also be kept in good working order. The challenge of maintaining vehicles is second only to maintaining the infrastructure itself. Maintaining vehicles in proper working order reduces downtime, optimizes maintenance intervals, provides safer equipment, and lowers parts costs. All of which, in turn, increase work force productivity. Ultimately, regardless of how well maintained a vehicle is, it will need to be replaced.

A replacement schedule for all vehicles/equipment in the Department of Public Works has been completed. The replacement schedule is based upon mileage/hours and/or age of the vehicle. These parameters correlate well with replacement age since they relate to the concept of increasing operational and maintenance (O&M) costs as vehicles age. The decision to replace a vehicle versus repair is normally made when the cost to repair/maintain a vehicle begins to exceed the operating cost of a new vehicle.

Staff conducted a review of the operating cost for each class of vehicles (e.g. one ton truck, pickup truck, vans, 6 wheel dump truck, etc.) to determine an approximate replacement schedule based on the previously mentioned parameters. The Chief Mechanic keeps information on basic repair costs and mileage for each vehicle in a paper-based format. From this information, staff obtained some basic cost per mile information. There are future plans to purchase a fleet management software program to allow for quick analysis of specific O & M costs for each vehicle/equipment used by DPW.

Based on the analysis work done to date, the following general replacement schedule is recommended:

Adherence to this replacement schedule will ensure that vehicles and equipment are replaced on an appropriate basis to minimize high operating costs and enhance proper functioning equipment which will allow the DPW to continue to deliver high quality customer services. As a vehicle reaches its recommended replacement year, staff thoroughly reviews its condition to determine if immediate replacement is warranted or whether it can be retained for another year.

Annual Maintenance of Roads

Strategy:

There are 116.01 miles of roads in the community that require "Annual Maintenance" work. As asphalt constructed roads age, the petroleum products in their surfaces evaporate, causing roads to become brittle, disintegrate and break up. The pavement will continue to deteriorate until it fails and must be reconstructed. An increased repair effort is required to keep passable roads that have exceeded their useful pavement life. The average cost for annual maintenance of roads is $42,000 per mile while for reconstruction it is $295,000 per mile. It is obviously less costly for the Town to keep its roads from slipping into the more expensive road reconstruction category. Thus, the preferred method for road maintenance is to conduct "annual maintenance" of roads versus reconstruction. The strategy of the Department is to expend maintenance repair funds on the roadways with a PCI rating between 61-92. This would represent the present funding provided annually by the Town ($100,000.00) and all Chapter 90 funds provided annually by the State to North Attleboro ($550,000.00).

By adopting this policy the Department will be maintaining 89 % of the roadways that require varying maintenance work to keep them out of the reconstruction category which is the most costly. If money were expended on roadways in the reconstruction category (PCI = 0-61) fewer roads would be maintained and more roads would fall into the reconstruction category thus increasing the required funding in the future.

NEW SIDEWALKS

Sidewalks are extremely important to the community as they provide a safe passageway for pedestrians such as school children, walkers/joggers, etc. As such, there should be an ongoing program to identify areas for new sidewalks.

Over the next year, DPW staff will develop a "ratings" matrix to assist in planning for additional new sidewalks throughout the community. Additionally, the School Department is developing a listing of sites for potential new sidewalks based on the walking habits of children as they go to and from school. Funding for these new sidewalks may be available through Chapter 70 funds. The new sidewalk program reflects an annual amount of $50,000 for installation of new sidewalks.

Sidewalks in the Town of North Attleborough are constructed of two different kinds of sidewalk materials; concrete and asphalt. To ensure uniform appearance of the sidewalks throughout the community, sidewalk materials will be specified as per the Planning Board Rules and Regulations Governing Subdivision of Land. An excerpt regarding the rules and regulations for sidewalks is included in the next section of the MIR.

Town Bylaw relating to sidewalks

The following Town bylaw refers to the betterment process for new sidewalks.

Article XVII states " that the laying of curbstone and installation of sidewalks shall be exempt from assessment of betterments, unless an assessment is specified in an article for the project approved by Town Meeting vote. The abutting property owners shall be assessed a sum not to exceed one half of the cost thereof."

Gravel Roads

Infiltration and Inflow

Background:

Infiltration and Inflow (I/I) are extraneous quantities of water, which enter the sanitary sewer collection system and reduce the capacity of the system to transport sanitary sewage to the Wastewater Treatment Facility.

Infiltration is groundwater that leaks into the sanitary sewerage system through pipe joints and defects.

Inflow refers to storm water that enters sewers through catch basins, sump pumps, down spouts, basement drains and defective manholes.

Over the past several years, there have been three Inflow and Infiltration studies, which have successfully located sources of infiltration and inflow.

1. 1987 - I/I Analysis
2. 1989 - Sewer System Evaluation Survey (SSES)
3. 1991 - Television Inspection report

The studies showed that infiltration was widespread throughout the sewer collection system, with the worst areas located north and west of Washington Street, and also in the Falls area of Town near Coral Lake and Commonwealth Avenue. However, the data showed that a lot of the inflow in North Attleborough originates in four mini systems comprising almost 60,000 linear feet of sewer pipe.

Infiltration and Inflow

Remediation Strategy:

The studies produced a plan which divided the town into 17 smaller areas called "mini systems" to determine the severity of the I/I in different sections of town. Each mini system was defined by a key manhole, through which all of the flow from the mini system passes. A total of 16 key manholes and mini systems were developed to isolate the flow in North Attleborough. A 17th key manhole and mini system was developed to separate Plainville's flow from North Attleborough's. These mini systems were then evaluated during low flow periods and prioritized to determine the most cost effective and beneficial areas to spend rehabilitation money.

The next phase of this project was to evaluate all the sewer lines in each mini-system according to their priority. This evaluation is completed utilizing a digital camera and television inspection technology. A camera travels through the pipes and records any and all defects. Once this inspection determines the deficiencies, a repair strategy is designed, and construction estimates are prepared.

Different repair strategies are used depending on the deficiencies found. Some potential repairs are:

• Complete sewer replacement
• Sewer pipe lining to seal all cracks or leaks
• Manhole rehabilitation and sealing
• Replacement of sections of sewer pipes
• Testing and sealing to repair poor joints
• Service connection replacement
• Root control

WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY

History

Construction of North Attleborough’s original sewer system began over 90 years ago. Since that time, the system has been periodically expanded to accommodate additional residential and industrial users. In 1909, F.A. Barbour designed the Town’s first wastewater treatment facility (WWTF), which consisted of settling tanks, a dosing tank, and intermittent sand filter beds. In 1948, major improvements to the treatment facilities were added, which included a primary clarifier, trickling filter, secondary clarifier, and reuse of the sand filter beds. A chlorine contact facility was added in 1959.

The effluent from the treatment facility discharges into the Ten-Mile River, an interstate stream that also serves as a source of public water supply in Rhode Island. By the early 1960’s, the facility could no longer properly handle the Town’s growing sewage flows. Over loading of the WWTF various components caused unsatisfactory wastewater treatment and environmental problems. Consequently, in 1964, North Attleborough commissioned Whitman & Howard, Inc., to evaluate its existing water pollution control facilities and develop a long range, comprehensive pollution control program. The resultant report recommended increasing the capacity and efficiency of this facility, specifically by constructing a secondary treatment facility, which would incorporate some segments of the existing plant and by rehabilitating the sand filter beds to insure more efficient operation and improved treatment. However, because effluent from the North Attleborough's treatment facility significantly affected the water quality of the Ten-Mile River, a higher level of treatment was mandated in 1969 by the Massachusetts Water Resources Commission, Division of Water Pollution Control.

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 established new federal guidelines and regulations for sewage treatment projects. As a result, the Town was required to satisfy many new regulatory requirements before the preparation of construction plans and specifications could begin in the fall of 1976. The construction contract for the treatment facility was awarded in the fall of 1977.

The construction phase of this project encompassed two of the stormiest winters in the area’s history. Yet, sewage was diverted from the former treatment plant to the Town’s new facility on March 3, 1980 - seven months before the contract completion date. North Attleborough’s 4.6 mgd water pollution control facility was designed to treat all wastewater from the Town of North Attleborough and neighboring Town of Plainville until approximately the year 2000, thus helping to stimulate substantial industrial and residential development in the area. A regional interceptor was also constructed as part of this project, which conveys wastewater from PlainviIle to the treatment plant and eliminated the routine overflowing of the old interceptor.

This $17,500,000 program was funded by grants of $12.5 million from the Federal Government and $2.5 million from the Massachusetts Division of Water Pollution Control. North Attleborough’s share of the total project cost was $1.6 million. As a joint user of the facility, the Town of Plainville also contributed $.6 million for its share of the facility.

For the past thirty years North Attleborough has worked to formulate a cost effective and environmentally sound program for wastewater collection and treatment. As a result the Town now has a water pollution control facility, which has abated ongoing degradation of the area’s water quality, improved the aesthetic value of the Ten-Mile River and protected the public and environmental health of the community. Completion of this water pollution control facility has made the Town’s sewage treatment system available to additional areas of the Town through extensions of the sewage collection system.

As required by a federal mandate, in the early 1980's, the Town began to study the effects of local industrial wastes. This study determined the character of these wastes, assessed their relative compatibility with the sewerage system, and established industrial pretreatment regulations for all incompatible wastes. As a result of this study the Industrial Pretreatment Division was created. Today, this function is overseen by an Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator who regulates the industrial and commercial waste in Town.

In June 1989 the Town of North Attleborough reached another major milestone in its ongoing sewer extension program with the completion of the East Side Interceptor and Patrick P. Grimaldi Pumping Station. A $1,700,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and a matching $2,670,000 grant from the Massachusetts Division of Water Pollution Control funded the interceptor and pumping station projects.

The Waste Water Treatment Facility that was completed in 1980 was designed as an advanced wastewater treatment plant using treatment processes understood at that time that were capable of meeting what was considered to be stringent effluent limitations.

Treatment facilities at the plant include screening, aerated grit chambers, primary clarifiers, first-stage aeration tanks and clarifiers, second-stage aeration tanks and clarifiers, gravity sand filters, chlorine contact tanks, dechlorination facilities, and post aeration tanks. Sludge handling facilities include flotation thickeners and centrifuges.

Flow to the facility includes wastewater from two influent sewers and septage. The headwork's of the facility provides screening, grit removal, commutation and chemical addition for phosphorous removal in the primary clarifiers. Two-stage mechanical aeration provides for biological treatment of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and nitrogenous wastes. The gravity sand filters provide final polishing of the effluent. Chlorine is injected into the effluent to destroy pathogens. The effluent is then de-chlorinated to eliminate any chlorine by products that could have a toxic effect on organisms that inhabit the river. The post aeration tank is provided to maintain adequate dissolved oxygen levels in the effluent to support aquatic life in the river. Sludge handling is accomplished by thickening the sludge to approximately 5% solids and is then trucked off site for further treatment and disposal.

There are four publicity owned pump stations in the wastewater collection system and one privately owned:

1. The Patrick P.Grimaldi Pump Station
2. The Industrial Park Pump Station
3. The Falls Pump Station
4. The Metcalf Road Pump Station
5. The Norton Rd. (privately owned)

In addition to the pump stations, the collection system has two metering stations; the Plainville metering station at Kelly Blvd. and the Moran Street meter.

Wastewater Equipment Replacement Schedule:

As mentioned previously, the WWTF was designed for a 15-20 year life cycle. The "Industry Standard" service life for equipment that operates in a wastewater treatment facility environment is 15-20 years. Through an aggressive maintenance program the original equipment installed in 1980 is still operating beyond its expected service life. However, proper scheduled replacement of equipment is critical to the continued uninterrupted operations of the facility.

The Town has recently funded several equipment replacement projects at the facility. They include:

• Replacement of Sludge Thickening equipment
• Replacement of Mechanical Bar Screen
• Replacement of Channel Grinder
• Replacement of Four Blowers for the Grit Chamber and Sludge Holding Tank
• Replacement of Make Up Air Units
• Rehabilitation of the First Stage Pump Station
• Rehabilitation of the Second Stage Pump Station
• Partial rehabilitation of the Sand Filter Building

In order to properly treat the effluent flows into the Ten-Mile River and protect the environment it is crucial that the following replacement schedule be adhered to. Waiting for equipment to breakdown before it is replaced is not an effective way to manage this important facility. An equipment replacement program is included on the following pages.

TECHNOLOGY REPLACEMENT PROGRAM

The Department relies heavily on information technology for day to day functioning, customer service and overall management of the DPW. Staff utilizes desktop computers, printers, scanners and laptops. In order to stay current with technological advances, the Department has developed a computer replacement program.

The Department's philosophy with regard to the standard PC is driven by the following two (2) principles:

• Buy the least expensive PC that meets the current software needs. This approach reduces the functional life expectancy while offering a more attractive price.
• Buy the latest and most powerful technology available to extend the functional life expectancy of the investment. This approach extends the life of the equipment but requires paying premium prices for the latest and fastest technology.

The Public Works Department attempts to balance these two principles with respect to all personal computer purchases. Technology is advancing so rapidly that a new generation of personal computer comes to market every eighteen months or sooner. At this accelerated pace, the standard PC configuration may change several times during the course of a year. By setting a standard somewhere in the middle, the Department is not paying a premium on the latest technology and yet there is a reasonable life expectancy for the purchased equipment.

Allocation/Reallocation of Hardware

Each Division within the Department has different hardware needs. Some applications require more powerful computers than others. For example, a user that only requires word processing capabilities does not need as much computing resource as a user that is using a mapping program or desktop publishing. Computer resources are allocated based on the type of application that is being used by that Division.

It has been common practice to move hardware where it is most appropriate to the task. If a division has a need to upgrade their hardware because of newer applications requiring more computer resources, that particular hardware may be reallocated within the department where it can be appropriately used for other tasks that may not require as much computing resources.

ROADWAYS

Maintenance of Roads:

North Attleborough has a total of 122.6 road miles. Of the total mileage:

• 97.12 miles have bituminous concrete surfaces
• 10.41 miles are composite roadways
• 9.54 miles are surface treated roadways
• 5.53 miles are gravel roadways.

In 1997 the Board of Public Works contracted with Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) to develop a roadway management program for the Towns roadways. This roadway management study describes existing conditions of the roadways and develops a procedure to collect, organize, and maintain a complete roadway database. The data can then be used for keeping a historical record of the Towns infrastructure, and for managing and evaluating existing and projected road conditions.

This ongoing effort will establish and perpetuate a roadway management program that will properly forecast budget requirements. This will allow the Department of Public Works to effectively maintain the roadway network owned by the Town.

Roadway Management System Methodology:

VHB collected information such as the roadway length, width, and classification, and then divided the roadways into segments to create a base map of items that seldom change. The next step was to evaluate the condition of the pavement by recording distresses such as potholes, alligator cracking, structural cracking, drainage issues, and pavement distortions and then ranking the severity of each condition. A Pavement Condition Index (PCI) was generated for each surfaced, public roadway segment using the distress data collected. PCI is measured on a scale from zero to one hundred, with zero describing a road in extremely poor condition and one hundred representing a pavement in excellent condition. The zero to one hundred scale is divided into five treatment bands in order to categorize the types of repair needed.

The treatment bands are as follows:

PCI Rating Action Needed

PCI #1 (0-60) Reconstruction - poor condition, base repairs needed

PCI #2 (61-72) Structural Improvement - fair condition pavement, surface structure needs added strength for existing traffic.

PCI #3 (73-85) Preventative Maintenance - good condition, may need crack sealing, localized improvements, and surface sealing

PCI #4 (86-92) Routine Maintenance - very good condition, may need crack sealing or localized repairs.

PCI #5 (93-100) Do Nothing - excellent, no repairs necessary at this time.

The pavement management system was used to propose various budget scenarios, based on road inventory and pavement distress information, to evaluate whether the overall road system would improve, stabilize or deteriorate at alternative funding levels. The pavement maintenance budget alternatives project different future investment levels, based on sound pavement management practice, and prudent spending of available dollars. The budgeting process uses a benefit value prioritization to calculate the funds needed to achieve desired roadway conditions. The benefit value formula is calculated using variables representing traffic volume, repair service life, road segment length, PCI, and costs. Without considering the regulatory signs, signals, drainage, curbing, or sidewalks, but simply the road surface, it would cost at least $ 67 million in today's dollars to replace the existing roadway infrastructure.

Reconstruction of Roads

Strategy:

The roads in the "Reconstruction" category have deteriorated to the point where basic maintenance work is an ineffective solution and where the base must be strengthened. Work will include replacement of base materials, grinding of road surfaces, installation of under drains, adjustment of utility structures and full depth pavement. There are 6.59 miles of roads in the community that need to be reconstructed.

As previously indicated, the strategy of the Department is to allocate the vast majority of its existing roadway maintenance funds to the "annual maintenance" category. This approach, however, expends all of the present funding provided annually by the Town ($100,000.00) and all Chapter 90 funds provided by the State ($550,000.00). Thus, the Department will request additional funds to reconstruct roads throughout the community that have a PCI of 60 or under.

SIDEWALK REPAIR

In 1997 the Board of Public Works contracted with Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) to develop a roadway management program for the Town. All of the roads and sidewalks were studied in this effort. The roadway management study describes existing conditions for sidewalks and rates the sidewalks in four categories: Excellent, Good, Fair and Poor condition. There are approximately 49.32 miles of sidewalks in the Town of North Attleboro. The description of the rating categories and the results of the study are detailed next.

Sidewalk Information:

Rating        Length     % of Total    Comments

Excellent-   11.49 miles       23%        No defects

Good -         6.17 miles        13%       Few deficiencies (deficiencies include: ruts, uneven surfaces, some cracking)       

Fair -            30.56 miles      62%       Large cracks, spauling, heaves/settlement less than one inch

Poor -           1.1 miles         2%          Major cracks, heaves/settlement more that one inch, depressions

Repair Schedule

As mentioned, there are an estimated 49 Miles of sidewalks in North Attleborough (39 miles of asphalt, 10 miles of concrete). There are 1.1 miles of sidewalk in poor condition. These sidewalks should be repaired as quickly as possible to prevent tripping hazards for pedestrians. The cost estimate to repair the 1.1 miles of sidewalk in poor condition is approximately $150,000.00.

Repair materials

Sidewalks in the Town of North Attleborough are constructed of two different kinds of sidewalk materials; concrete and asphalt. To ensure uniform appearance of the sidewalks throughout the community, sidewalk materials will be specified as per the Planning Board Rules and Regulations Governing Subdivision of Land.

SEWER COLLECTIONS SYSTEM

The collection system's first pipes were installed in 1910. The system currently is comprised of six different types of pipe with varying sizes and service life. The service life of sewer pipes is determined by the structural integrity of the pipe, materials and the connections that join them. The pipe material used in North Attleboro and its anticipated service life are as follows:

Collection System Operation & Maintenance

Although most people associate proper operation and maintenance (O&M) with wastewater pump stations, other components of the wastewater collection system also require continuous O&M. Comprehensive O&M is necessary to ensure that the collection system reliably transports wastewater from individual users to the treatment facility. A successful O&M program for a wastewater collection system provides many benefits including:

• Elimination of backups/overflows and associated public health hazards
• Utilization of the full hydraulic capacity of the system
• Extended service life and protection of capital investment in the collection system
• Reduced operating and capital costs
• Safer work environment resulting in fewer accidents and compensation claims
• Minimized damage to public/private property associated claims and liability

Visual Inspection and Cleaning

Visual inspection and cleaning of the collection system should be performed on a routine basis, not just in response to complaints or blockages. The necessary frequency will vary significantly depending on the age and condition of the system components, but should be often enough to locate and remove obstructions before complete blockages occur, which will help eliminate backups, overflows, and property damage. Over time, experience and proper record keeping will indicate problem areas where blockages occur most often. These areas should be inspected and cleaned more frequently than other areas. Other areas within the collection system that require more frequent cleaning include:

• Siphons and associated tributary lines
• Lines at minimum slope and scouring velocities
• Areas where bottlenecks or frequent surcharging occur

In an effort to ensure that all of the lines are routinely cleaned within a reasonable period of time, a portion of the system should be cleaned each year, with the goal of cleaning the entire system every five to ten years. For North Attleborough, a goal of 75,000 linear feet per year is recommended.

Manhole Inspection

Every manhole that is opened and used for routine cleaning should be inspected. Following this general rule will ensure that all manholes within the system are inspected every five to ten years.

TV Inspection

We strongly recommend internal inspection of the collection system via close circuit television. This is accomplished by using a sewer "camera truck". TV inspection provides a continuous view of lengths of pipe up to 1,000 feet that are otherwise inaccessible. This method provides for identification of sources of infiltration, inflow, root intrusion, structural defects, and poor joint condition. Since sewer lines should be cleaned prior to TV inspection, routine cleaning and TV inspection should be coordinated to avoid the duplication of efforts. Under ideal conditions, routine cleaning should be followed by routine TV inspection.

Siphons

Siphons must be inspected and maintained on a regular basis to ensure proper operation. The town has two siphons, which are located on Mt. Hope street and North Avenue. The frequency of required inspection for siphons depend on a variety of factors, including:

• The size and design of the siphon and the surrounding pipes
• The amount and velocity of flow passing through the siphon
• The amount and type of debris in the wastewater(i.e., large quantities of sand or grease)

In general, siphons should be inspected once a week to ensure that they are functioning properly. The key to maintaining a siphon is to maintain the sewer lines in the tributary area. By ensuring that debris is regularly removed from all of the sewer lines that flow into the siphon, accumulation of debris within the siphon can be minimized.

Easements

In North Attleboro a small percentage of the collection system is located within cross-country easements. Ideally, cross-country easements should be maintained as soon as they are constructed. Maintenance should include, at a minimum, ensuring that the easement boundaries remain clearly marked; keeping the easement property from becoming overgrown with trees and brush; and performing routine sewer line cleaning, manhole inspection, and TV inspection.

Some of easements in Town are overgrown, preventing access to manhole and sewer lines. A program to reclaim the easements should be developed and implemented. This program should include the following basic steps:

• Surveying. Easements must be surveyed to determine the legal boundaries since the sewer line was not necessarily constructed down the middle of the easement.

• Clearing. Easements must be cleared of trees, brush, and other plants, as well as fences and other man-made obstacles that may have been put within the legal easement boundaries.

• Locating manholes. All manholes along easements must be located and documented. Documenting the location of manholes through the use of a Global Positioning System (GPS) device is highly recommended.

• Cleaning and Inspecting. Sewer lines within the easements should be cleaned and TV inspection performed.

• Performing Maintenance. Once reclaimed, easements should be properly maintained.

WATER SUPPLY AND WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

The Town of North Attleborough has nine groundwater supply sources, seven of which are located in the Ten Mile River Basin while two are located in the Blackstone River Basin. Together they provide 7.8 million gallons per day safe yield. The water distribution system consists of approximately 110 miles of water mains ranging in diameter from four to sixteen inches.

In October of 1998, Tata & Howard Engineers Inc., completed a comprehensive study of North Attleborough's water distribution system. The recommendations contained in this report were based on computer simulations of the existing water distribution system, and predicted future water supply and system demands. The parameters governing the study were based on the data supplied by the DPW, consultant participation, Insurance Services Office (ISO), and input from the Fire Chief.

The Water Supply and Distribution System were evaluated in each of the following categories.

• Fire Flow and Water Transmission Improvements: These improvements are intended to eliminate deficiencies in the water main transmission grid as well as to mitigate ISO fire flow deficiencies. In order to provide adequate service, a water distribution system must be capable of meeting two criteria.

1. Provide 35 pounds per square inch (psi) of pressure during peak hour demands.
2. Provide estimated fire flow requirements during maximum day demand conditions. In general, the flows required for proper fire protection are based on maintaining a residual pressure of 20 psi.

• High Elevation Service Areas: These improvements are directed towards areas in Town above an elevation of 290 feet. These areas do not have the minimum of 35psi that is recommended. Either a booster pump station and/or double hydrants are recommended for these areas.

• Water Supply and Treatment: This is an area where there are no immediate projects that must be implemented. The two projects listed, additional groundwater supply at the Adamsdale Wellfield and Hillman Wellfield will not have to be funded for quite some time. Once completed however, these improvements will help to insure that the growing population of the Town will be adequately supplied with quality water in the future.

• Wells and Pump Station Building: These recommendations identify various improvements from general maintenance to the buildings such as roof repair, to well cleaning and utility billing system advancements.

• System Extremity for Fire Flow and Water Quality: These improvements identify areas of the system that should be looped to eliminate dead ends. This will improve the transmission of water and result in improved fire flow and water quality at or near the system extremities.

• Water Quality: These improvements address areas such as hydrant flushing of the mains twice a year, an on-going water meter replacement program, valve and hydrant replacement program along with the replacement of old water mains. The water mains are constructed of various materials including cast iron (CI), cement lined ductile iron (CLDI), asbestos cement (AC), trancite (TR), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The material that the mains are constructed of can influence the Town's water quality. The following is the expected service life of water mains based on water quality assumptions for the different materials mentioned.

Construction of the Town's water distribution system began in 1884 with cast iron mains. All mains installed up to 1944 were cast iron. In 1944 trancite mains were introduced and in 1966 ductile iron mains and cement lined ductile mains were also installed. Cast iron mains continued to be installed until 1984 and are the most problematic with respect to tuberculation build up and reduced flow capacity. A program to replace these old mains to improve water quality will be specified in the near future.

Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CWMP):

In 1981, the Town constructed an Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility that is located in Attleboro Falls. Since that time the Town has continued to expand its sanitary sewer collection system to meet the demands for its growing residential and commercial population.

A Town-wide master plan for the collection system and treatment facilities known as the "Facility Plan" was developed and completed in 1984. The Facility Plan by Whitman & Howard, Inc. identified the unsewered areas of Town and determined the best routes by which to sewer these areas in the future. This Plan has been used as a guide for the Town when residents and developers approach the Board of Public Works with an interest in extending a sewer line.

Due to major residential and commercial growth in the Town along with the revised State Environmental Code, Title 5, the needs portion of the Facility Plan has become outdated. The Board of Public Works decided that it was necessary to update its Facility Plan to incorporate a re-survey of the unsewered areas of Town and re-establish a comprehensive Town-wide sewer extension plan for the next 20 years based on the needs of the different areas. This new plan is called the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan (CWMP) and was completed in mid-1999.

The CWMP divided the unsewered areas of Town into 20 Sub-Areas to determine priority needs and also looked at small pockets of unsewered areas within the Central and Falls areas of Town. These small pockets are called "sewer extensions".

In order for the Town to be eligible for low interest State loans for new sewer construction, the State specified the following criteria, which are to be used in determining new sewers.

These areas were evaluated based on several criteria:

• Imminent septic system failure
• Septic system within Zone I public drinking water well
• Septic systems located on lots smaller than one-quarter acre
• Septic systems greater than 20 years in age
• Severe soil limitations
• Septic systems located on lots smaller than one-half acre but greater than one-quarter acre in size
• Health/water quality issues with septic systems within 50 feet of a surface water body
• Septic system located in 100 year flood plain
• Septic systems located within a Interim Wellhead Protection Area
• Septic system located Zone II aquifer recharge area
• Moderate soil limitations

In addition a questionnaire was mailed to over 3,000 residences not currently on the Town sewer system to obtain their input on the situation. Also, alternative solutions were evaluated to providing centralized sewer disposal in these areas.

Total

Areas Time Frame to Complete Estimated Cost Projected Annual Expenditures to Complete Project

Group A 2000-2008 $ 21,500,000 $ 2,625,000

Group B 2008-2015 $ 26,000,000 $ 3,250,000

Group C 2020

Policy for new sewers in Group B and Group C:

It is recognized that development may occur in areas listed in Group B and Group C. Since the Town does not plan to sewer locations listed in Group B and Group C areas for several years, proponents desiring to install new sewers in these areas must design sewers to the capacity, specifications and features as specified by the Board of Public Works. Additionally, gravity sewers will be the optimum approach for these new sewers. Proponents shall be responsible for all costs associated with conducting capacity analysis for the internal network of sewer pipes affected by the proposed project as well as determining the impacts on the wastewater treatment facility associated with any new sewers in the Group B and Group C areas.