Grant/Pond Street Area Water Main Replacement

This major water main replacement project was part of an ongoing water system capital improvements plan to improve water quality and fire protection throughout the City of Framingham.

The existing water system was installed between 1887 and 1940, consisting of cast-iron and asbestos cement water main pipe. Tuberculation within the existing system was negatively impacting water quality, system pressure, and fire flow capacities to the area.

Approximately 25,000 LF of existing water main (6”-12” pipe) was replaced with 8”-12” cement-lined ductile iron pipe, improving the water quality provided to the residents and businesses, and the available system capacity for fire fighting and suppression purposes.

Existing lead services, when encountered, were replaced to the water meter at no cost to the homeowners as part of the City’s lead service phase-out program.

 Project Challenges

• Project required management and disposal of approximately 4,000 LF of existing asbestos cement pipe (ACP).
• Contractor encountered broken ACP fragments in unanticipated locations, requiring the management, handling, and proper disposal of approximately 300 cy of soil as asbestos-containing material waste.
• BETA made significant contributions to coordinate the Contractor, City Water Operations Division, residents, property owners, and managers to bypass individual domestic and fire suppression services, minimizing water service interruption to the stakeholders.