USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Norwood > Norwood annual report 1904-1907 > Part 13
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It is believed, however, that a liberal allowance has been made in designing the sewers for ground water.
CAPACITY OF SEWERS IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT.
The 15 inch main sewer, which is laid across the railroad
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from the extension of Nahatan Street to Lenox Street, receives the flow from all of the Gravity Section north of Winter Street and west of the railroad. This sewer at its flattest grade has a capacity sufficient to discharge the maximum flow from a popu- lation of 11,500 people using an average of 100 gallons of water per day per capita. It also provides for a flow of ground water in addition of 225 gallons per minute, of 300,000 gallons per day.
This 15 inch sewer is continued through Lenox Street to Plimpton Avenue with the same capacity.
This line and the Io inch sewer line, which crosses the railroad at the Guild Street subway, unite in a sewer at Plimp- ton Avenue and flow through it to the intercepting sewer.
This intercepting sewer is 15 inches in diameter from Plimpton Avenue to Hillside Avenue, and 20 inches in diameter from there to Dean Street.
The two sections are laid at such grade that they have practically the same capacity, which is sufficient to discharge the maximum flow of sewage from a population of 17,000 people, and a flow of ground water equal to nearly 500,000 gallons per day. The area tributary to this sewer comprises all of the Central Gravity Section, with the exception of the area about Chapel and Cedar Streets, and Washington Street from Dean to Cross Street, which is discharged through Dean Street into the main sewer where the latter crosses Dean Street.
From this point the main sewer from the entire Central Gravity District and the two pumping districts is 24 inches in diameter, and has a capacity equal to the maximum flow from a population of 20,000 people, and 700,000 gallons per day of ground water. This quantity of ground water is no doubt an excessive estimate, even with the whole territory laid out in streets and fully sewered. With the present mileage of streets it amounts to 40,000 gallons per mile per day, while it is possible to keep the leakage of ground water down to 5000 gallons per day with careful work.
It is probable that the sewers described above have an
1
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ample capacity for the next forty years at least.
On acount of the uncertainties of the future it is probably unwise to provide for a greater population at the present time. On the other hand, taking into consideration the present rate of growth and the conditions of Norwood, it would be short- sighted to provide for less, especially as the sum saved by reducing the sewers one size of pipe, or from 24 to 20, and from 20 to 18 respectively, would be only about $2,500, while the capacity as measured by the population served would be re- duced from 20,000 to 12,000 people. One thousand dollars more would be saved by reducing the 15 inch sewer to 12 inch, but the population provided for would be reduced to 8500.
The main sewer from Dean Street to Pleasant Street is laid partly in embankment. For one thousand feet in length, including the crossing of the Neponset River, it will be of wrought iron, or steel, supported upon masonry piers and boxed. The conditions at the location at this point are unfav- orable for an embankment.
The bottom of the sewer will be about ten feet above the ordinary water level where it crosses the Neponset River. The main sewer, from its crossing at Dean Street (or Willow Street), could be laid as an inverted siphon of cast iron pipe through Pleasant Street and under the Neponset River to the filter bed. The cost of this has been estimated, and it is ascer- tained that an inverted siphon line, with a capacity sufficient for the next ten years only, would cost practically the same as the proposed gravity line, and that a siphon line of equal capacity would cost $7000 more than the proposed line.
CAPACITY OF MAIN SEWER OF HAWES BROOK DISTRICT.
This sewer, starting at the junction of Walpole and Endi- cott Streets, is 10 inches in diameter to Winslow's tannery and from that point 12 inches in diameter to its junction with the main sewer from the Central District near Pleasant Street. The capacity of this line, based upon its flatted grades, is suffic- ient to provide for the maximum flow from a population of
-
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5000 persons. There is also a large flow from Winslow's tan- nery. In a report of the Massachusetts State Board of Health upon the improvement of the Neponset River, this flow is esti- mated at from 20,000 to 50,000 gallons per day. · Assuming that it may be increased to 100,000 gallons per day, the pro- posed sewer will carry it and the sewage from a population of 4000 people in addition, with a ground water flow of 110,000 gallons per day.
This is believed to be an ample provision to make at this time for this district, which is sparsely inhabited, and aside from the tannery is not now in need of sewerage.
By increasing the 12 inch sewer to 15 inch, and the 10 inch to 12 inch, at an additional cost of about $1800, the tannery and a population of over 8000 would be provided for.
NOTE .- The size of the 12 inch sewer from the tannery should not be reduced, even if the capacity were considered excessive, as its grade is too flat for a 10 inch sewer.
The plan as proposed provides for a total population of 24,000, divided roughly as follows: 4000 in Hawes Brook Dis- trict and 20,000 in the remainder of the town. This is equal to the estimated population between 1940 and 1945.
It also provides for a ground water flow of 800,000 gallons, or from 25,000 to 30,000 gallons per mile, based upon the total milcage of streets in town at the present time.
LIOUSE SEWERS.
It is recommended that the house sewers be 5 inches in diameter. Branches will be laid in the street sewers at proper point with the openings closed by stoppers until the connection is made.
MANHOLES.
Manholes will be provided at every change of line and grade of the sewer. These manholes will provide access to the sewer for inspection and give complete control of the system.
VENTILATION.
It is proposed to provide openings in the manhole covers
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for the admission of air to the sewers, and it is recommended that no traps be placed upon the house sewers, thus leaving a frce opening through them and the soil pipes to the point above the roofs of the houses.
FLUSHING.
It is proposed to provide flushing manholes at the head of every lateral sewer. These are the ordinary manhole with a flop gate upon the outlet to the sewer. There is also a connec- tion with the water main which is controlled by a valve. When the sewer is to be flushed, the flop gate is closed, the valve on the water pipe opened, and the manhole allowed to fill. When full the flop gate is suddenly opened, effectively flushing the sewer. Automatic flush tanks are not recommended for this system, as they are liable to use a great deal of water, which is undesirable in Norwood, and because it is believed that with the grades of these sewers entire satisfaction will be secured with occasional hand flushing, with only a fraction of the use of water and at a much smaller first cost.
UNDERDRAINAGE.
Underdrains or sub-drains are frequently laid under the sewer for the purpose of lowering the water in the ground and thus improving the sanitary conditions, and also to carry away the ground water which would otherwise tend to enter the sewers at every imperfection in the joints. These drains are of vitrified clay pipe, laid with open joints and embedded in broken stone or clean gravel. The flow in these drains is finally discharged into some natural water course.
There are localities in Norwood where the construction of underdrains will no doubt greatly improve the conditions.
While it is impossible to determine in advance just where they will be needed, or their exact size, an estimate has been made, after securing the best available information of condi- tions and a study of the ground, which it is believed will pro- vide for underdrainage wherever it may be needed.
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ROCK EXCAVATION.
While Norwood is very fortunate in most of the conditions affecting the cost of a system of sewerage, especially as relates to the discharge and disposal of the sewage, there is one condi- tion that will very materially increase its cost. I refer to the rock or ledge which is so generally distributed throughout the streets.
Mr. Bucknam, the Superintendent of the Water Works, who has by his experience with the piping acquired an intimate knowledge of the location of the rock, has kindly furnished the information upon which the estimates of rock are based. It cannot, of course, be expected that these estimates are more than approximately correct, as the sewers will not be in exactly the same location as the water piping, and will generally be deeper than the latter. It is believed, however, that they will not be exceeded.
DISPOSAL.
'As stated in the recommendations, it is proposed to dispose of the sewage by sand filtration upon an area south of the Ne- ponset River and east of Pleasant Street, as shown upon the map. Before this method of disposal was decided upon, the plan of discharging the sewage into the Metropolitan System was considered. The State Board of Health made an investi- gation of this matter in 1897, and estimated that the annual cost to Norwood of discharging its sewage into the Metropolitan System would be from $3366, if the towns of Canton, Norwood, Sharon, Stoughton, Walpole and Westwood all came into the arrangement and were admitted to the District upon the same terms of assessment as those now in it, to about $7000 if Nor- wood and Canton alone went into the arrangement.
The conclusions of the Board were that it would upon the whole be more desirable for each town to purify its sewage upon land. Therefore, there seems at present but little likeli- hood of the Metropolitan Sewer being extended to Norwood.
Even if it were possible to connect with this system at the
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lowest estimate of annual assessment, namely $3366, the annual expenses of disposal would far exceed the annual expenses of maintaining and operating the proposed filter beds.
I estimate that the annual cost of the maintenance of the filter beds, including the interest on the cost of land and con- struction, as well as depreciation, repair and operation, will not exceed $2000 per year for many years.
It is unnecessary to compare at great length the proposed system with "Bacterial Treatment" since it is well established that when sand or gravel can be found in place, the cost of con- struction of a plant for bacterial treatment is very much in excess of that of the construction of sand filter beds, and unless their location will save in the cost of main sewers or of pump- ing, that nothing can be gained by the adoption of this system.
When placed in a location that would be satisfactory to the town and approved by the State Board of Health, the first cost of the main sewers would be fully as great as with the proposed system, and the conditions in regard to pumping would not be changed.
LOCATION OF FILTRATION AREA.
Other locations than the one proposed were considered. There is but one other, however, that would receive the sewage by gravity. This area is east of Pleasant Street and north of Dean Street, and appears promising from a superficial examina- tion. An cxamination of the land was made by digging test pits. The water was found much nearer the surface than in the arca proposed and it can be lowered very little by underdrain- ing unless the brook which runs around the north and east sides of the land is lowered as far as the Neponset River.
After the loam is removed there will be only a depth of gravel above the water of about four feet. It could perhaps be developed into a satisfactory field, but at a much greater expense for construction than the proposed area. Besides this it is much nearer the thickly settled part of the town.
The area proposed is very favorable for the purpose. It is composed of coarse sand and gravel, the ground water is
32
from 8 to 10 feet below the surface, and very little under- draining will be required. It is a comparatively level area which will not require much grading after the loam is removed to form it into beds.
There is an ample area for future needs. About thirty- five acros have been laid out on the plan, and more land is available if required.
AREA REQUIRED AT PRESENT.
The arca which must be prepared will depend upon how large a part of the town is sewered. If sewers are to be laid in all of the streets in which water pipes are now laid, and if all of the houses were to be connected, the flow of sewage would probably be equal to 75 per cent. of the water supply, or based upon the consumption of 1897, about 320,000 gallons per day, and a certain amount of ground water which, with careful con- struction, should not exceed 10,000 gallons per mile, or perhaps 200,000 gallons per day; in addition to this a possible 100,000 gallons from the tanneries, making a total of about 600,000 per day, which would require about eight acres for its disposal. This would be at the rate of 75,000 gallons per acre per day, which is a reasonable estimate for filter beds composed of material of the character found here.
It is not probable, however, that the whole town will be sewered at once. Judging by the experience of other places, the most thickly settled portion will be done first. Possibly ten miles of sewers in the central part will be built. It will then be several years before all of the houses in that section will be connected. For the first installment of sewerage I believe it will be safe to figure the house sewage at 150,000 gallons, the' tannery wastes at 100,000 and the ground water at 100,000 gallons,or a total of 350,000 gallons per day, requiring an area of about five acres.
As the flow of sewage will be small for the first few years, especially at night, it is recommended that a distributing tank be constructed. The purpose of such a tank is to retain the
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flow of sewage until it is full, and discharge it quickly upon the beds (rather than in a small but continuous flow) in order to prevent as far as possible the loss of heat of the sewage, and its freezing upon the surface of the beds in the winter season.
PRELIMINARY TREATMENT.
It is not proposed to adopt at present any method of pre- liminary treatment of the sewage for removing the sludge either by a septic tank or strainer beds.
Although such treatment would probably reduce the area of the filter beds necessary for the purification of the sewage, and possibly decrease somewhat the work of caring for the sur- face of the beds, neither the first cost nor the annual expense would be materially affected under the conditions of the initial installment of the plant and with the amount of sewage ex- pected in the first few years.
The general arrangement of the proposed beds, and the location of those which are to be first constructed, is shown upon the plan accompanying this report.
Provision is made in the design of the disposal system for the introduction of a plant for preliminary treatment in the future if it is found desirable. In the meantime the knowledge of the comparative merits of the different plans for preliminary treatment, and of their effect on the disposal of sewage, may become more complete than it is at present.
SURFACE DRAINAGE.
I have made personal examination of the present surface drainage system, and had surveys made for the purpose of locating the catch basins and inlets of this system. These are shown on the map.
The town seems to be provided with a fairly good system for the discharge of the surface water from the streets. There are some cases where it could be improved by putting in catch basins instead of the plain inlets. The latter allow sand and gravel from the street surface to run into the pipes and streams and gradually fill them up.
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There are but few places in the central part of the town that are not provided with surface drainage, and I am informed by the Superintendent of Streets that it is intended to supply these places with the proper inlets and channels as fast as possible.
It is my opinion that in general the channels now provided are adequate. There may be some that are inadequate in the most severe storms. I see no need, however, for the revision of the present system or the planning of a new one, but rather the improvement of the system at those points that give trouble.
There is undoubtedly a nuisance caused by some of the brooks that carry away the surface water, not on account of the flooding, but because a good deal of sewage is discharged into them, and in dry weather, when the flow of the surface water is small, they become offensive.
This trouble will be remedied by the construction and operation of a sewerage system, into which the house sewage now flowing into the brook shall be discharged.
There are two locations on the streets at which I would suggest that improvements be made in the existing conditions. One, and the most important, is on Cross Street, between Washington and Broadway, near the Norwood Central Station. The streets in this vicinity are now rather inadequately drained through the field toward the south. It is recommended that a drain pipe be laid from the corner of Cross Street and con- nected with the drain in the latter which passes through the subway, and suitable catch basins placed at the proper points. At the corner of Cross and Washington Streets catch basins should be put in and a pipc laid in Cross Street to the stream, as shown on the plan.
The other location is on Railroad Avenue about half way between Fulton and Prospect Streets. There is a low point in the street to which the water runs from both directions, and no provision is made for its discharge. There are but few houses here and little inconvenience has been caused by this lack of drainage facilities at present. When such are required, it is
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recommended that catch basins be put in and the drain laid to the brook between Railroad Avenue and Nahatan Street, as shown on the plan.
There is also a point in the surface drainage system where, if sewer construction is undertaken, I would suggest that con- currently with it an improvement -be made. The stream which crosses the railroad at a point near the Norwood Press building crosses Lenox Street near Willow Street, and then divides, part of it crossing Willow Street and flowing in a northerly direc- tion and in a poorly defined channel, and the rest flowing through the field south of Willow Street in an easterly direction.
It is recommended that the channel which crosses Willow Street be made large enough to take the whole brook when it is desired to do so, and a suitable channel be constructed along the line of the sewer about as far as Hillside Avenue, as shown on the map. The natural channel will take the water from this point.
ESTIMATES.
The following estimates give the cost of the different parts of the work. They are based upon present contract prices and are believed to be ample to cover the cost of the work described, exclusive of the cost of the land. They include 20 per cent. for engineering and contingencies.
CENTRAL GRAVITY DISTRICT.
Street Sewers, as per schedule. $178,392 09 Intercepting Sewer, Williams Street to Plimpton
Avenue, 1777 ft. of sewer, complete 2,163 84 Intercepting Sewer, Plimpton Avenue to Dean Street, 4028 ft. of sewer, complete. 9,725 35 Main Sewer, Dean Street to Filter Beds, 3400 ft. sewer complete, 24 in. 9,936 00
Main Sewer in Dean Street from Washington to 24 in. Main, 800 ft. 10 in. sewer, complete ... Main Sewer, from Cedar Street and Savin Ave-
1,036 00
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1
nue to Washington Street, 1400 ft. 8 in. sewer 1,992 00
$203,245 28
HAWES BROOK GRAVITY DISTRICT.
Street Sewers, as per schedule. $29,002 48
Main Sewer, Endicott Street to Tannery Inlet, 1350 ft. 10 in. sewer, complete. 1,699 80 Main Sewer, Tannery Inlet to 24 in. Main Gravity Line near Pleasant Street, 5150 ft. 12 in. sewor, complete, including inverted siphon 7,620 60
$38,322 88
PLEASANT STREET PUMPING DISTRICT.
Street Sewers, as per schedule.
$13,241 10
Main Sewer, Washington Street to Pleasant Street Pumping Station, 1950 ft. 8 in. sewer, complete .. 2,498 40
Pumping Main, Pleasant Street Station to Main Sewer, 300 ft. 8 in. pipe, complete. 350 00
Reservoir, Pumping Station and Machinery 4,590 00
$20,679 50
PURGATORY BROOK PUMPING DISTRICT.
Street Sewers, as per schedule. $19,740 72
Main Sewer, 5200 ft. 12 in. sewer, complete. 5,568 00
Pumping Main, Neponset Street to Intercepting Sewer, 4700 ft. 8 in. pipe, complete. 5,052 00
Reservoir, Pumping Station and Machinery. 4,700 00
$35,060 72
Filter Beds ( 5 acres) and Distributing Tank. .. . 7,680 00
Respectfully submitted,
FREEMAN C. COFFIN.
AREA TO BE SEWERED, AND ESTIMATED COST FOR SAME.
After investigation your committee believes that if the streets shown in the following table be sewered, the needs of the town will be met for at least ten years and probably for even a longer period of time.
The estimated cost of construction is also given.
STREET.
APPROXIMATE
ESTIMATED COST OF
Beech, Winter to Day,
I200 ft. $ 570 00
Broadway, Day to East Hoyle,
2550 ft.
2,24I 96
Bullard,
1475 ft.
1,850 00
Casey,
1990 ft.
3,121 18
Cottage,
4450 ft.
3,560 17
Cross,
2450 ft.
2,600 00
Day,
3000 ft.
1,837 14
Dean, Wash. to Main line,
I200 ft.
1,036 00
Douglas Ave.,
400 ft.
507 60
Fulton, High to Nahatan,
Myrtle
to Railroad
Ave.,
3000 ft.
1,165 00
Guild,
2200 ft.
1,825 80
High,
IO3 ft.
1,600 78
Howard, to Baker,
900 ft.
1,500 00
Hoyle,
3,500 ft.
3,188 51
Lenox, Nahatan ext: to Willow,
6650 ft.
7,500 00
Linden,
950 ft.
619 80
FRONTAGE. CONSTRUCTION.
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Lydon,
1060 ft. 2,000 00
Maple, Cottage to Na- hatan,
II50 ft.
1,000 00
Market,
1800 ft.
2,000 00
Munroe,
3925 ft.
3,277 84
Myrtle,
1150 ft.
2,076 60
Nahatan, to. Fulton,
2200 ft.
8,420 00
Nichols, Cottage to Na-
hatan, Winter to Ver- non,
4500 ft.
4,000 00
Plimpton Ave.,
1400 ft.
1,721 40
Prospect Ave.,
2200 ft.
2,639 20
Railroad Ave.,
6900 ft.
7,776 46
Savin Ave., to Wash.,
I200 ft.
1,000 00
Vernon,
4650 ft.
3,137 76
Walnut Ave.,
3750 ft.
7,000 00
Washington, Howard to Dean,
10000 ft.
17,600 00
Willow, Lenox to Main line,
300 ft.
237 00
Wheelock Ave.,
1100 ft.
555 90
Winter,
3250 ft.
2,028 68
Total frontage, 87,480 ft.
$101,194 78
Intercepting Sewer, Plimpton Ave. to Dean 4028 ft. complete.
9,725 35
Main Sewer, Dean to Filter Beds 3400 ft.
complete
9,936 00
$120,856 13
Filter Beds (5 acres) and Dist. Tank.
7,680 00
$128,536 13
This approximate frontage of 87,840 feet must necessarily be somewhat reduced as this figure includes all measurements of estates fronting upon two or more streets. Just how much
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this should be reduced, cannot now be estimated, as undoubtedly certain distances to be later determined by the sewer commis- sioners, would be exempt upon the second frontage, as no area can be assessed more than once. 85,000 feet has been used in the following tables as a basis in estimating costs under the various methods of assessment.
Allowing for increases in cost of construction and other causes, a conservative estimate of such a system as has been outlined would cost in the neighborhood of $150,000.
Naturally, it would be some time before this system could be completed but when finished would quite thoroughly care for those portions of the town that most demand sewerage facilities.
ESTIMATED COST UNDER DIFFERENT METHODS OF ASSESSMENT.
FRONTAGE PLAN.
Estimated total cost of proposed system and
disposal, $150,000
Approximate total feet of frontage, 85,000 ft.
One half total cost paid by town, $75,000
One half total cost paid by assessment upon
frontage, $75,000
$75,000 divided by 85,000 ft. equals $0.88 per front ft.
If $0.90 per front foot be charged, a lot with a hundred feet frontage would pay an assessment of $90.
AREA PLAN.
Estimated total cost of proposed system and disposal, $150,000
Approximate total sq. feet of area, 8,500,000 sq. ft .·
One half total cost paid by town, $75,000
One half total cost paid by assessment upon area, $75,000
$75,000 divided by 8,500,000 (100 ft. from street) equals $0.008 per sq. ft.
If $0.01 per square foot be charged, a lot with 100 feet frontage and a depth of 100 feet or over would pay an assess- ment of $100.
FRONTACE AND AREA PLAN.
Estimated total cost of proposed system and disposal, $150,000
Approximate total feet of frontage, 85,000 ft.
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Approximate total square feet in area (100 feet
from street ) 8,500,000 sq. ft.
One half total cost paid by town, $75,000
One half total cost paid by assessment upon frontage and area, $75,000 4-10 of $75,000 divided by 85,000 ft. equals $0.0353 per front ft.
6-10 of $75,000 divided by 8,500,000 sq. ft. equals $0.0053 per sq. ft.
If $0.36 per front foot and $0.006 per square foot be charged, a lot with 100 feet frontage and a depth of 100 feet or over would pay an assessment of $36.00 upon the frontage and $60.co upon area, a total of $96.00.
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