Centennial Monograph: Sewer Department

Centennial Monograph: Sewer Department

A description of the Maynard Sewer system's personnel and growth from its inception in 1914 through the mid 1960s.

Eva V. Fidanza

CA1965

2019.206

At a town meeting held April 6, 1914 a committee was appointed which read as follows:

To see if the town would vote to appoint a committee to investigate installation of a sewerage system and that a sum of $1,000 be appropriated for expenses.

On motion of Albert Batley, it was voted that a committee be appointed to investigate. The following committee was appointed:
William Naylor, John H. Murray, Albert Batley, Bartholomew J. Coughlan and Orrin S. Fowler, Howard Hamblin, M. D., and Joshua Edwards of the board of health.

The sum of $1,000 (one-thousand) dollars was appropriated for use of the committee. They met on April 15, 1914 and were organized.

Several engineers were called in and bids submitted. From among these bids, Mr. F. A. Barbour was accepted.

At a meeting held 12/24/14 it was agreed there was no need to change the design of the sewer system nor of the disposal plant. This was later approved by the State Department of Health, except that in the case of the disposal plant it was also agreed to raise the Imhoff tanks and increase the area of the sledge beds.

By Chapter 340, Acts of 1916, the town obtained legislative authority to construct a sewerage system and to expend not more than $150,000.00. There was no prospect of lower construction prices and in view of Chapter 655, Acts of 1914, requiring State Department of Health to prohibit the discharge of sewerage into the Assabet River without treatment, it was evident that the town could not long post pone action in relation to disposal work. This report was from F. A. Babour, Engineer, and the Sewerage Committee was appointed as follows:

Otto Fonsell, James A. Coughlan, Orrin S. Fowler, Albert Batley, John S. Driscoll, William F. Litchfield and Hartwell W. Flood.

In the construction of the sewerage system all the pipe sewers contemplated in the undertaking included a pumping station on the south bank of the Assabet River, and three-fifths of a mile from Waltham Street, through Powder Mill Road, Waltham Street and Main Street, to
Walnut Street, lateral sewers in Acton Street, Pleasant Street, Summer Street, Nason Street, River Street, Railroad Street, Main Street, Florida Road, and the disposal tank, consisting of Imhoff tanks, sludge beds, dosing tank, trickling filter and secondary tank, located about 200 feet north of the Assabet River, and adjacent to the Acton town line.

In 1925 at a Town Meeting held March 9, it was voted that a committee be appointed by the moderator. This committee was appointed with Mr. Orrin S. Fowler as Chairman. On the death of Mr. Fowler in June 1927, Mr. Albert Batley was chosen to fill this important office. In 1928 it was voted to increase the committee to nine members, the committee being composed of: Albert Batley, Chairman; Hartwell W. Flood, Secretary; James A. Coughlan, John J. Driscoll, William F. Litchfield, Otto Fonsell, William 0. Strout, Edwin Carlton and P. J. Schnalr.

Over one-hundred sewers wore laid that season as the applications came in and at this time at least fifty actually In use. Under those present commissioners up to 1930, two-hundred and fourteen had applied for sewerage and about 80% were connected up. Because of poor business conditions in the town it was impossible for the townspeople to have this work done.

In 1931, the commissioners were advised by the finance commissioners that in order to keep the tax rate down no sewer extension work would be done only in cases of emergency. The total connections during the year was twenty-eight. During 1932 twenty-nine connections were made.

In April of 1934 Superintendent Edwin Carlton resigned, and at a joint meeting with the Water Commissioners it was decided that Mr. William Naylor, Superintendent of the Water Department should manage both departments. It was agreed that the Sewer Department pay a portion of the Superintendent's salary: $42.00 a month and the Water Department would pay the remainder $116.00 a month.

Mr, Harold Lyons resigned from the Board of Commissioners in April, and Mr, Fred Elson was appointed to take his place. Fifty-five additional houses wore connected. The remainder of the extensions were put under WPA and forty-one more houses were connected.

Toward the end of 1936 there were not enough funds and the Finance Committee transferred $120.00 to the account of the Sewer Department. By the end of 1937, 651 houses were connected, In 1938 the Commissioners were authorized to sell the lot of land at the corner of Waltham Street and Hayes Street, and received 400.00. All of the Sewer Extensions this year were done with WPA labor. There are now 11.8 miles of Sewer connected, including New Village. This brings the total of 727 to date.

During the winter and early spring of 1940 considerable trouble was experienced with the Imhoff Tank and expenses arose. It was discovered that boys in the vicinity of the Disposal Plant had broken 80 spindles of the Spray nozzles.

In November of 1942 Fred Elson resigned. In the Spring of 1942 all labor under WPA was taken off and projects could not be continued.

In 1946, Mr. Naylor was forced to retire on his 70th birthday. At a meeting held December 14, Mr. Peter Peterson was appointed as Superintendent as Mr. Naylor retired at this time.

As time went on more and more applications were submitted for connections. So far, 13.4 miles of Common Sewers have been laid. On retirement from the position of Superintendent of the Sewer Department the following facts will be of interest.

Appointment was made April 10, 1934 by the Sewer Commissioners, who were Thomas Tierney, Alex J. Burke and Harold Lyons. Of the present board, Mr. Tierney, during my term of office, Walter R. Denniston was elected in 1936 and Robert R. Hatch in 1943. Since my appointment 19,979 feet of Common Sewers have been constructed, 474 House Connections have been made; the Sewerage system, owned and operated by the American Woolen Company has been connected to the town system and the domestic sewage from the Assabet Mills has been taken into the system.

Thomas H. Tierney died on May 29, 1952. He was elected to the Board in March of 1931 and served the town until the time of his death.

No sewer extensions made this year. The voters of the Town voted to place the Sewer Department under Public Works, effective March 2, 1953. Vincent Crotty has served on the Board as Secretary since 1948 and Gerald P. Tierney also since 1948.

As of December 1949 there were 1073 connections in use. The Imhof tank at the disposal plant has given excellent results, Eight thousand five-year-old white pine seedlings were set out around the plant. On November 24, 1949(?) Sprinkler heads on the trickling filter were broken. Again in 1950 another 5,000 five-year-old spruce seedlings were set out around the disposal plant.

At a Town Meeting, March 14, 1949 the question of sewer assessments came up but it was voted to lay this article on the table.

In 1953 the Board of Public Works went into effect. At that time Albert Raitanen was elected as Superintendent from a list of 15 applicants. There were 15,954 miles of mains; 1,202 house connections accomplished and again 23 sprinkler heads were stolen and had to be replaced. Because of continuous breakage, the windows at the secondary tank pump house were boarded over.

In the Superintendent's report of 1954 Mr. Raitanen said, (quote) "The excellent record of Public Works is due mainly to the efforts of its foremen and employees, for which I am grateful."

More and more house connections were made. New houses were being built and at this time, 1955, there are 1,272 houses connected.

Mr, Raymond Sheridan resigned in 1956. He accepted a position with the Army Engineers and was requested to resign from the board. The State Board of Sanitary Engineers Investigated the sewage disposal plant and notified the Public Works Commissioners that it was inadequate and must be enlarged. In line with this, an article was placed on the Town Warrant authorizing the Public Works Commissioners to charge a rental fee for using the town's sewage system.

In 1960 the new 650 gallon pump was not delivered by the contractor. Trouble was experienced with the present 400 gallon pump when the motor burned out and the pump was out of commission for three days. This pump was installed in the year 1963 however, and in 1964 was working to perfection.

A booster pump was installed at Winter Street. In 1962 the water search with Stow produced nothing as far as Maynard was concerned and it was decided to discontinue. We have had meetings with the Town of Sudbury Water District Commissioners to see what could be worked out with them for obtaining water. The results are not very encouraging.

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