On July 1, 2025 the new capital budget included the construction money for this project. Our DPW engineers are putting this project out to bid this fall (2025) with construction to begin Spring 2026 as soon as weather and contracting will allow. It is a two-season project, plus potential highway work that will be done in phases. We can expect a community meeting about this project in February or March.

You may have noticed the work on the sewer pump station on Route 9 near Biryanis. Sewerage from this pump station currently flows from Walnut to Buckminster to Mt. Wayte along the east side of Farm Pond downtown near the railroad tracks and ultimately to the MWRA facility on Arthur Street. This sewer line, called the Farm Pond Interceptor, has limited capacity for any additional flow. This project will redirect the sewer flow from the Route 9 pump station to Walnut, Warren, Prindiville and Burdette, and connect to a large diameter sewer main on Grant Street that was installed in 2011. No work on Bishop Street is required as that sewer main was replaced in 2010 and the pipe upsized in anticipation of this project.

The work will likely begin in Spring 2026 at the lowest point, on Burdette Street, and move “upward”. Sections of the water main on Warren Rd are 115 years old, and the water mains on Prindiville Ave and Burdette Ave are almost 60 years old. These water pipes will be replaced as part of the project. 

In addition:

• Hillcrest- Will get a new sewage line
• Hampden- The existing sewer will be rehabilitated without any excavations (lined)
• Hampshire- The sewer between Prindiville & Lindbergh is from 1928 and will be replaced.  The remaining sewer was replaced in 2017 and won’t be touched.
• Berkshire- the existing sewer will be rehabilitated (lined)

There will be short interruptions in service as the project moves along. The City is committed to residents having access to water and sewer throughout the duration of this project and minimize the inconvenience while in process.

One current unknown is the potential geothermal expansion that is proposed for Normandy Road, Flagg Drive, Warren Road and connecting to the existing geothermal line on Prindiville Avenue. While this grant was awarded by the Federal Government, the City is working to understand the reality and the timeline for this project given the reprioritizations happening on the federal level.

The engineering department is in conversations now as to the impacts on sidewalks, school crossings and final road conditions. They are coordinating with the Highway Department so that after the water and sewer project is finished, the Highway Department will come in to make some improvements including doing the sidewalks on Prindiville (that were not done in geothermal work), Burdette, and Walnut St. 

Question: Is this project related to the markings and drilling trucks we’ve seen recently on Warren?

Answer: Yes! They are getting information on soil, bedrock, and groundwater conditions.