| Nov. 3, 2004
| The Commission shared with us, subject to an agreement not to remove them from our offices, the calculated contour maps that they develop from our well readings. These can be very helpful in graphically pointing us toward suspected "hot spots". Based on our data, the BWSC located a "hot spot" at the corner of Dartmouth and Beacon Streets. They have determined it is caused by a leaking deep sewer and will be repairing it shortly. They have also determined that their sewer under Back Street needs to be repaired. This major project will be designed in 2005 and built the following year. In the meantime, they have pledged to repair any leaks causing groundwater drawdown. Maps based on the September well readings are now being prepared; we should receive them within the next week or so. |
| November 30, 2004
| They continue to review and act on our well data and to provide us with their calculated contour diagrams. We have had specific dialogue about unusual well readings. We have requested permission to continue to read the wells at Union Park St (see MWRA above) after construction. |
| February 15, 2005
| I met with John Sullivan and Henry Luthin to discuss our strategic planning process and whether there were ways we could better structure to work with them on groundwater issues. We also updated current issues. BWSC has begun construction on their sewer replacement and recharge system behind Hemenway Street. This is about a sixty day project once the weather lets them move on it. They also have funding for repair or replacement of the sewer in Back Street. They are investigating whether there have been problems with the relatively recent work on Stuart and St. James Streets and what impact that could have on groundwater. They repaired the leaking manhole at Dartmouth and Beacon Streets. As soon as the weather permits, they will investigate their sewer on Beacon Street between Berkeley and Clarendon to see if it may be contributing to a low reading on that block. |
| November 17, 2005
| The sewer reconstruction and recharge system in the Hemenway St alley is nearly complete, now down to punchlist items. The contractor had some minor installation work to finish to make the recharge system operational. BWSC will be lining the West Side Interceptor from Clarendon St /Beacon St to Charles St/Pinckney St. They will also be reconstructing the sewer line under Back St. BWSC is investigating a potential leak in a line under Dartmouth St in the Back Bay. They are investigating possible leaks in the sewer line under Tremont St that may be causing low water levels in the South End. They plan additional repair work to the St. James Ave sewer. |
| January 11, 2006
| The sewer reconstruction and recharge system in the Hemenway St alley has not yet led to any increase in groundwater levels in that area. In fact, levels there generally dropped more than in any other area during the last interval between readings. John Sullivan does not yet have an answer about why that would have occurred. It will be explored in more detail during the Working Group meeting. |
| February 15, 2006
| They have budget approval for the lining and rehabilitation of the West Side Interceptor under Beacon Street from Dartmouth Street to Charles Street and under a portion of Charles Street; work should be done this summer. They are currently doing repair work on the St. James Avenue sewer which could be a cause of drawdown on Stuart Street. They expect to go out for bids on the reconstruction of the Back Street sewer this spring. They are holding retention pending repair of problems in the sewer and recharge system behind Hemenway Street; at BWSC’s invitation, I observed the video work on this sewer which showed multiple leaks to be repaired. They expect to contract for a video survey of all of their low sewer lines, with an emphasis on groundwater "hot spots" first. |
| March 22, 2006
| They have completed the repair work on St. James Avenue, but our February readings were too soon to show improvement nearby. We’ll be looking closely at the next group of readings. We will be looking as well for improvements from the work behind Hemenway St; almost all wells in the area had readings that were modestly higher then December but still quite low. |
| April 27, 2006
| Final repairs to the new sewer and recharge installation in the alley behind Hemenway Street were completed in early April and should show results in our next readings. The Back Street project, which will include relining some sections and rebuilding others, with a recharge system for the rebuilt sections, should be advertised for construction later this spring. The West Side Interceptor will be relined between the Dartmouth/Beacon and Charles/Revere intersections from June through August; the contract has been awarded. They have discovered additional leaks in the St. James Avenue sewer beyond the end of the recent work and will be repairing these as well, including a significant leak in a cross connection near Clarendon Street. They expected to get authorization at last week’s board meeting for a contract to inspect all sewers in areas where groundwater is below 5 feet, generally a television inspection except for a walkthrough in a few larger sewers. |
| June 5, 2006
| Our Technical Advisory Committee will be meeting with John Sullivan on June 22 to discuss the results of the recharge system installed in the alley behind Hemenway Street and potential improvements to future systems. BWSC will be holding a public meeting on June 8 to discuss the rebuilding of the Back Street sewer. The contract for the lining of the West Side interceptor has been let, and work will take place in July and August. |
| July 17, 2006
| The Technical Advisory Committee met with John Sullivan on June 22 to review the installation of the recharge system in the Hemenway Street alley as well as other groundwater related issues. There is still a low reading at the well at the junction of the alley and Hemenway Street; BWSC is trying to determine the cause, since they know of no infrastructure that low in the area. At the City-State Groundwater Working Group meeting on July 13, BWSC updated the committee on current projects. The contract for sewer reconstruction on Back Street has been advertised with bids due August 3. Work should begin late this year. The lining of the West Side Interceptor has begun. However, the project was interrupted when the City declared a moratorium on street closing permits for construction when the Big Dig tunnel was closed after the accident. Work will resume when permits are again allowed. The contract for video inspection of all sewers where groundwater levels are low has been awarded, and work should begin shortly. This is a tool that BWSC will use to guide them in work for years, so they have been very specific about the quality of video they are looking for. |
| September 20, 2006
| Relining of the West Side Interceptor is almost complete. The Back Street sewer repair/reconstruction project should be the next one likely to have an impact in an area where we have concerns about low groundwater. |
| October 26, 2006
| Relining of the West Side Interceptor is complete. The Back Street sewer repair/replacement project has been bid. BWSC has rejected the low bidder because of performance concerns; there may be a delay while a challenge is resolved. BWSC has begun the video inspection of all of their sewer lines below Elevation 5; this will be a time consuming process that will help in the process of finding leaks while documenting the condition of these critical lines. |
| January 18, 2007
| Work continues on the BWSC project to rebuild/reline the Back Street sewer. We have been monitoring for changes in groundwater levels along the route as well as to make sure there is no damage to our wells. To date all has gone well. BWSC has also identified a potential problem in the North End that may have had an impact on groundwater levels. They are still considering how best to proceed. |
| February 15, 2007
| The work on Back Street continues with continuing praise for the efforts of BWSC and its contractor. BWSC and DCR are studying how to utilize the recharge system being installed in Back Street as part of the recharge requirements for the Storrow Drive Underpass project. |
| March 22, 2007
| The work on Back Street has resumed after a hiatus during the coldest part of the winter. The video inspection of all of the low sewers in areas of groundwater concern is nearing completion. BWSC is studying how to address an apparent leak in the North End near an area of low groundwater. |
| April 23, 2007
| The work on Back Street is proceeding on schedule. Unfortunately, two of our wells were damaged and will have to be replaced. Work should be complete by August except for final paving in the fall. BWSC continues with its video survey of their system. |
| May 14, 2007
| The work on Back Street will be completed except for paving by the end of August. The video survey of low sewer pipes is about 2/3 complete. |
| June 21, 2007
| BWSC is investigating the condition of their pipes in the North End with a focus on the area of low groundwater near the corner of Fulton and Cross Streets. |
| August 2, 2007
| Construction is complete on the sections of the Back Street sewer that were being rebuilt; lining of the section from Exeter Street to Massachusetts Avenue will be complete very shortly. They have completed video inspection of 47,000’ of sewer line, with 13,000’ to go; at completion of the project they will prioritize for short and long term repairs. |
| October 25, 2007
| The Back Street project is complete including paving except for the installation of speed bumps and replacement of two BGwT monitoring wells that were destroyed during the project. These should be completed shortly. BWSC has completed the television inspection of about 10 miles of low level pipe, about 86% of the project. They have found about two miles that warrant repair, but no obvious groundwater leaks. They are still looking at the area around Tremont and West Brookline Streets to see if they can determine the reason for the low groundwater levels there. Within the next two weeks, they expect to televise the pipes around Commercial and Richmond Streets in the North End to see if there is leakage that could be causing low groundwater levels there. |
| November 29, 2007
| The two wells that were damaged during installation of the Back Street sewer project have been replaced by BWSC. Unfortunately, the first readings from the new wells, taken this week, do not show any significant benefit from the recharge system to which they are almost adjacent. However, based on the extended period before there was any apparent benefit from the recharge system installed in the alley behind Hemenway Street, we may need to be patient. |
| December 20, 2007
| We have installed data loggers in the two new observation wells on Back Street to assess the impact on groundwater levels of the recharge galleys installed by BWSC. |
| January 31, 2008
| They have video inspected 55,000’ of low lying sewers. While 15,000’ will need repair or replacement, none showed any obvious current leaks. They would like to video another 5000’, but have to work out some access and technical issues. |
| April 29, 2008
| The BWSC is still working to complete the television inspection of low lying sewers. They will be scheduling repairs of any sections that appear to have leaks as part of their capital program. |
| May 29, 2008
| BWSC responded rapidly to a low groundwater condition near the corner of Beacon and Dartmouth Streets. They determined that one of their manholes near the intersection of Dartmouth Street and Public Alley 419 was leaking. Repairs were completed last week. |
| June 27, 2008
| BWSC continues to be responsive to our requests. We saw some improvement near the manhole that they repaired at Dartmouth and Beacon Streets in our last set of readings. Hopefully, readings will be back to their normal level when we check them next week. |
| July 31, 2008
| BWSC found and repaired 9 leaks in a manhole near Dartmouth and Beacon Streets that appears to be responsible for the recent low readings. Readings came up at the closest well in our most recent readings; we hope to see improvement at the other nearby wells next time. As a result of their television inspection of low lying sewers, they plan to repair about 10,000 feet of sewers, mostly in Back Bay, South End, and Beacon Hill. |
| August 29, 2008
| BWSC has reinspected the repairs at the manhole at Beacon and Dartmouth Streets, and they appear to be holding. However, groundwater readings taken this month did not show improvement. BWSC will go back to look for any other potential causes. |
| September 25, 2008
| BWSC has reinspected the repairs at the manhole at Beacon and Dartmouth Streets, and they appear to be holding. However, groundwater readings taken this month still did not show improvement. BWSC plans a television inspection of their lines in the area to look for a problem. |
| October 27, 2008
| BWSC has found two leaks near where the liner installed last year in the West Side Interceptor under Beacon Street meets some cross connections. These could be the cause of recent low water readings in the area of Dartmouth and Beacon Streets. BWSC will shortly be contracting for a diver to make these repairs as well as to inspect and repair a possible leak in a sewer under Commercial Street that could be causing the low water levels near Richmond Street and Atlantic Avenue. |
| November 20, 2008
| BWSC has found two leaks near where the liner installed last year in the West Side Interceptor under Beacon Street meets some cross connections. These could be the cause of recent low water readings in the area of Dartmouth and Beacon Streets. BWSC will shortly be contracting for a diver to make these repairs as well as to inspect and repair a possible leak in a sewer under Commercial Street that could be causing the low water levels near Richmond Street and Atlantic Avenue. |
| December 18, 2008
| BWSC is still planning to contract shortly for the diver to inspect and repair leaks on Beacon Street in Back Bay and Commercial Street in the North End. |
| January 29, 2009
| BWSC expects to have divers conducting the repairs to leaks on Commercial Street in the North End and Beacon Street in Back Bay in March. Repairs to a leaking sewer line in Blagdon Street behind the Boston Public Library are more complex, but they are expected to be completed within about six months. BWSC will be repairing leaking sewer lines in several locations in Back Bay and the Flat of Beacon Hill in the next year; repairs will include the installation of recharge systems. |
| March 2, 2009
| BWSC expects to have divers conducting the repairs to leaks on Commercial Street in the North End and Beacon Street in Back Bay in March. Repairs to a leaking sewer line in Blagdon Street behind the Boston Public Library are more complex, but they are expected to be completed within about six months. BWSC will be repairing leaking sewer lines in several locations in Back Bay and the Flat of Beacon Hill in the next year; repairs will include the installation of recharge systems. |
| March 26, 2009
| BWSC expects to have divers conducting the repairs to leaks on Commercial Street in the North End and Beacon Street in Back Bay shortly. Repairs to a leaking sewer line in Blagdon Street behind the Boston Public Library are more complex, but they are expected to be completed within about six months. BWSC will be lining sewer lines in the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, and South End this spring and summer; many of these sections are in areas of low groundwater and showed defects during the BWSC’s television inspection of its low sewers last year. BWSC will be repairing leaking sewer lines in several locations in Back Bay and the Flat of Beacon Hill in the next year; repairs will include the installation of recharge systems. |
| April 29, 2009
| BWSC has begun a sewer relining project on multiple streets in the South End, Back Bay, and Beacon Hill that is designed to repair leaks discovered during television inspection of the sewers. The work should be complete by August. They will also be installing some new pipes in Back Bay and Beacon Hill alleys where the sewers need more extensive work than can be accomplished by lining; they plan to install small recharge systems (limited by available space) as part of these alley systems. The current leak at Dartmouth and Beacon Streets requires a diver to repair the liner; this has been held up by availability of the contractor, but is expected to be repaired in 4-6 weeks. An inspection of the sewer at Commercial Street showed that what looked like a leak in the television inspection was in fact an unknown connection; the cause of low groundwater in that area is still undetermined. BWSC will attempt to line the broken sewer pipe on Blagdon; if this is unsuccessful, the repair will be a major project. BWSC discovered a previously unknown underdrain in the area of Chestnut and Charles Street; after it was plugged, local groundwater levels increased. |
| May 28, 2009
| BWSC expects to repair the leak at Beacon and Dartmouth Streets shortly. The sewer lining project in the South End, Back Bay, and Beacon Hill is under way. |
| June 29, 2009
| BWSC has completed repairs to the leak at Beacon and Dartmouth Streets. We should see positive results from that repair as well as the continuing sewer relining work in the South End, flat of Beacon Hill, and Back Bay soon. |
| July 30, 2009
| BWSC has completed most of the sewer relining work in the South End, along with some in the Back Bay and Beacon Hill. The relining project should be complete this summer. They have done repairs at sewer crossover points at Dartmouth/Beacon and Fairfield/Beacon Streets. They expect to complete sewer repairs in several Back Bay alleys this year. Repair of a leaking sewer under Blagdon Street is scheduled for October. Repairs of sewers under Lime and River Streets are scheduled for next spring. |
| August 26, 2009
| While repairs have been completed to the leaking sewer line near the corner of Beacon and Dartmouth Streets, we have not yet seen any significant increase in groundwater levels there. We will continue to monitor this closely. |
| September 24, 2009
| While repairs have been completed to the leaking sewer line near the corner of Beacon and Dartmouth Streets, we have not yet seen any significant increase in groundwater levels there. We will continue to monitor this closely. |
| October 27, 2009
| BWSC has completed most of the relining projects in Back Bay, Beacon Hill, and South End except for some work on Dartmouth Street near Newbury Street. Contracts have been let for the more intense reconstruction work scheduled for some alleys in Back Bay and streets on Beacon Hill. They continue to try to discover the cause of low groundwater levels in the vicinity of Beacon and Dartmouth Streets in Back Bay and near Fulton and Richmond Streets in the North End. |
| November 19, 2009
| BWSC continues to try to find the cause of low groundwater that is centered on the area near Dartmouth and Beacon Streets and has been spreading through several blocks nearby in the Back Bay. They will be asking for permission to do sewer reconstruction in the nearby alley this month after the normal construction moratorium goes into effect. They are also continuing to inject dye as part of looking for the cause of low groundwater in the area near the intersection of Richmond and Commercial Streets in the North End. |
| December 21, 2009
| BWSC has made major progress in understanding the causes of low groundwater levels near Fulton and Richmond Streets in the North End and near Dartmouth and Beacon Streets in Back Bay. Once they have confirmed their findings, they will design the necessary repairs. |
| January 21, 2010
| BWSC is working on repairs to a drain line in Commercial Street to attempt to raise levels in that part of the North End. They are continuing investigative work in a CSO line in Dartmouth Street to try to determine the cause of low groundwater levels centering on the intersection of Dartmouth and Beacon Streets. BWSC has begun repairs to sewers in four alleys in the residential section of Back Bay; the repairs will also include recharge systems similar to those installed in the Fenway and under Back Street. |
| February 12, 2010
| BWSC discovered a significant leak in a line on Richmond Street between Commercial Street and Atlantic Avenue in the North End that is a likely cause of low groundwater levels in the area and will begin repairs this month. They also discovered leaks in the Combined Sewer Overflow pipe in Dartmouth Street that may be the cause of low levels in that part of the Back Bay. BWSC will inspect the CSO pipes in Berkeley and Fairfield Streets for similar damage and then schedule repairs. Work continues on the sewer repair/recharge systems in Back Bay alleys. They will be lining sewer pipes in the Bulfinch Triangle area in the spring. |
| March 18, 2010
| BWSC will be doing a television inspection of the combined sewer overflows on Berkeley and Fairfield Streets this week to see if they have similar damage to the one on Dartmouth Street. They expect to contract for repairs shortly. BWSC has been working on a number of major sewer rehab/rebuild projects that are in areas where we have had continuing concerns about low groundwater levels affecting the wood pilings. We have seen increased levels, often to their highest levels ever, in some of these areas. The following projects are at least 90% complete: Beacon St, Brimmer St to Charles St; Berkeley St, Stuart to Stanhope St; Charles St, Pinckney to Branch St; Chestnut St, Brimmer St to River St; Dartmouth St, Alley 418 to Alley 425; Mt Vernon St at Charles St; Mt Vernon St, Otis Pl to Brimmer St; Trinity Pl, St James Ave to Stuart St; Canal St, Causeway St to Market St; Church St, Winchester St to Melrose St; Lancaster St, Causeway St to Merrimac St; Park Plaza, Arlington St to Hadassah Way; Stuart St, Columbus Ave to Church St; Border St, Maverick St to Condor St; Central Square from Border St; Norway St at Hemenway St; Summer St, Melcher St to A St; Aguadilla St, Tremont to San Juan St; Appleton St, W Canton St to Dartmouth St; Bond St, Hanson to Milford St; Chandler St at Clarendon St; Chandler St, Columbus Ave to Clarendon St; Clarendon St, Warren Ave to Chandler St; Columbus Ave, Braddock Park to Clarendon St; Drapers Lane, Ivanhoe St to Upton St; Hanson St, Tremont St to Shawmut Ave; Milford St, Tremont to Taylor St; San Juan St at W Brookline St; Tremont St at E Berkeley Se; Tremont St, Milford St to Alley 705; Tremont St, W Newton St to Aguadilla St; Upton St, Drapers Lane to Shawmut Ave; Warren Ave, Clarendon St to Berkeley St; Warren Ave, W Brookline St to W Canton St; W Canton St, Tremont St to Alley 543. |
| April 16, 2010
| BWSC has awarded a contract for the repairs in the area around Commercial and Richmond Streets in the North End, with work scheduled to begin around the end of May. They are nearly complete on the sewer separation project in the Bulfinch Triangle area. They have done a television inspection of the sewers in the Chinatown/Leather District area, and have not found any leaks; additional investigation will take place. They have found leaks in the CSO on Dartmouth Street, but still feel they need to do more investigation prior to repair; I emphasized the need to resolve this now two year old problem ASAP. |
| May 20, 2010
| BWSC plans a public meeting this month to kick off construction on repairs to the sewer under Richmond Street in the North End. They will be repairing a portion of the combined sewer overflow (CSO) on Dartmouth Street between Beacon and Back Streets that is a likely cause of low groundwater levels experienced along Dartmouth Street in that area. They are most likely to reline that section of pipe; this could happen in a few months. BWSC has completed repairs to the portion of the CSO on Fairfield Street between Beacon and Back Streets; this grouting work took place in a section of wood sewer. |
| June 18, 2010
| Repairs to the combined sewer overflow at Fairfield and Back Streets were completed this month. Work has just begun on repairs to the sewer line at Richmond and Commercial Streets, with the work estimated to take five weeks. Authorization for repairs to the Dartmouth Street combined sewer flow will be sought this month. Work will likely be completed in about a month after that. |
| July 29, 2010
| BWSC is currently working on repairs to the sewer on Richmond Street between Commercial Street and Atlantic Avenue in the North End, with completion likely very soon. They have also discovered some leaking privately owned pipes in the area and are working with the owners to get them repaired. In the Back Bay, all of the sewer and recharge work in the alleys is complete for this year; they expect to line the combined sewer overflow on Dartmouth Street between Beacon and Back Streets in late August. BWSC is still working to find the cause of low groundwater at two sites in the South End, Albany Street and Union Park as well as Shawmut Avenue and Upton Street. |
| September 16, 2010
| BWSC has completed repairs on the sewer on Richmond Street in the North End. Our initial readings of the observation wells after the repair are encouraging, with all of those in the immediate area rising generally more than others in the North End. We continue to work with BWSC and area businesses and residents to understand the reason for high groundwater levels in a section of the South End south of Washington Street; it appears from our data and anecdotal information that there is substantial tidal influence, and BWSC has identified a tide gate that appears to be leaking. |
| October 19, 2010
| BWSC has completed repairs on the sewer on Richmond Street in the North End. They have also completed work on repair of a combined sewer overflow on Dartmouth Street between Back and Beacon Streets in Back Bay. Unfortunately, groundwater levels near these projects have yet to any significant increase. In the South End/Newmarket area, we continue to participate in meetings about the potential cause(s) of an increase in groundwater levels that has led to building flooding, particularly at times of astronomical high tides; BWSC will be repairing a tide gate in the area that may be a cause of the problem. |
| November 18, 2010
| BWSC has completed repairs to the leaking sewer line in Richmond Street; they have found another leak under Commercial Street that is likely contributing to low groundwater levels in that area of the North End and expect to complete repairs shortly. They have completed lining work on a section of leaking pipe under Atlantic Avenue. While the combined sewer overflow lining completed on Dartmouth Street between Back and Beacon Streets has helped raise groundwater levels along the north side of Beacon Street in that area, BWSC will have to go back to continue to investigate possible causes of low groundwater extending along Dartmouth Street south of Beacon Street. Sewer lining work in the damaged sewer along Blagdon Street behind the Boston Public Library is scheduled to take place in late November or early December. BWSC will conduct further television inspections of sewers near Albany Street and Union Park and near Fairfield and Beacon Streets to try again to determine the cause of low groundwater levels at those locations. BWSC will soon repair leaks in a sewer line on Hemenway Street near Norway Street in the Fenway. BWSC is beginning a pilot project focused on lining or replacing private sewer laterals citywide that could be beneficial in overcoming low groundwater levels in some areas. |
| December 17, 2010
| BWSC is conducting further television inspections to attempt to determine the cause of the low groundwater levels along Dartmouth Street. We have installed additional data loggers in that area to help in the effort. In the Newmarket section of the South End we were able to help BWSC solve a high groundwater problem that turned out to be caused by a leaking flood gate. |
| January 27, 2011
| BWSC is continuing to work on the low groundwater problem near the corner of Richmond and Commercial Streets in the North End; they have completed repairs on one sewer line in Richmond Street, but we have not seen an increase in water levels. Farther up Commercial Street, near its intersection with Atlantic Avenue, BWSC repairs appear to have led to a substantial increase in groundwater level. BWSC has completed a television of a brick 72" combined sewer line in Dartmouth Street that showed signs of infiltration and will conduct a similar inspection of a nearby 36" sanitary sewer line; repairs here will be a major focus in an effort to raise the low groundwater levels that have spread over a substantial nearby area in the Back Bay. Repair of a leaking sewer line in Blagdon Street behind the Boston Public Library has been held up by the need to find and test a liner material that will stand up to the heat generated by an adjacent steam line. An inspection of a sewer line under Haviland Street in the Fenway has indicated leakage; that sewer is planned for relining later this year. BWSC continues to inspect lines under Fairfield and Berkeley Streets and near the corner of Albany Street and Union Park in an attempt to find the cause of low groundwater in those areas. |
| March 24, 2011
| BWSC repairs continue to be backlogged because of the harsh winter. They are working with us and DCR to try to understand why some of the groundwater levels under the embankment along Back Street have dropped in spite of continued recharge coming from the Storrow Drive Tunnel. They have not yet designed repairs that might address the low levels along Dartmouth Street. |
| April 29, 2011
| BWSC repaired a manhole leak on Dartmouth Street that was a potential cause of the low groundwater levels there; unfortunately, levels have not risen. Within a month they plan to do a relatively difficult television inspection of connections between the drains on Dartmouth Street and the West Side Interceptor under Beacon Street. Hopefully, that will reveal the overriding problem. BWSC has discovered a problem in the recharge gallery under Back Street between Berkeley and Clarendon Streets that caused water recharged into that gallery by DCR to drain away. The flaw, which was not discovered during the post-construction inspection, is to be fixed by this weekend. In the North End, BWSC discovered leaks in a pipe near Commercial and Richmond Streets, likely contributing to the low spot in that area; this will require lining a pipe there, which should happen by Fall. Also by Fall, BWSC expects to be able to make repairs to the Blagdon Street sewer line, located behind the Boston Public Library, that has been a possible cause of low groundwater in that area; repair of this pipe has been held up because of a need to solve technical problems involving an adjacent Trigen steam pipe. |
| May 26, 2011
| BWSC has repaired the problem in the manhole that feeds one of the recharge galleries under Back Street from the Storrow Drive Tunnel pump station; groundwater levels on Back Street have largely recovered from their drop. BWSC plans to have completed a television inspection of the junction between a drain line on Dartmouth Street and the West Side Interceptor sewer under Beacon Street that is now thought to be the most likely cause of the depressed groundwater levels along Dartmouth Street by the end of the month; if they can find the leak, a repair plan will follow. |
| June 23, 2011
| BWSC is continuing intensive efforts to isolate the cause of low groundwater in the area of Dartmouth Street in the Back Bay. They are continuing to inject dye and conduct television inspections with frequent review of the work at top levels of engineering management. |
| July 21, 2011
| BWSC is continuing intensive efforts to isolate the cause of low groundwater in the area of Dartmouth Street in the Back Bay. They will be installing two new injection wells next week to allow them to put more dye into the ground and have purchased additional equipment to allow them to observe dye in low light conditions. |
| August 29, 2011
| BWSC has installed two injection wells along Dartmouth Street in the Back Bay to enable them to inject substantial amounts of water and dye as they continue to work to find the cause of low groundwater in the area near Beacon Street; this is now the primary focus of BWSC’s investigative efforts related to groundwater. BWSC has isolated a pipe on Commercial Street between Richmond and Cross Streets in the North End as the likely cause of low groundwater in that area and will line the pipe in the Fall. On Blagden Street behind the main building of the Boston Public Library, BWSC has been unable to line a leaking pipe because of an adjacent steam line; they plan to replace the pipe next Spring. |
| September 22, 2011
| BWSC expects to award the contract for sewer repairs on Commercial Street in the North End this month. They repaired two small water lines in the North End that might have been causing some high fluctuations in groundwater levels. In Back Bay, BWSC has diverted the flow from the 36" sewer line that was the suspected cause of low groundwater levels along Dartmouth Street. They have found some significant areas of infiltration in the bottom section of the line at a manhole near Alley 418. They are reviewing the tv tapes to make sure if there are other sources of leakage, then will devise a repair program. |
| October 28, 2011
| BWSC was able to identify the causes of the drawdown in the Dartmouth Street area in Back Bay. A sewer line that leads to the West Side Interceptor under Beacon Street was found to have several leaks, with particular problems in a manhole near the alley between Beacon and Marlborough Streets. Leaks in the manhole have been grouted, and the manhole will be lined next week (according to our data logger monitoring, this seems to have reduced the problem). BWSC plans to line the sewer in two sections not previously lined, one from the Beacon/Marlborough alley to the West Side Interceptor and one from the Marlborough/Commonwealth alley to the Commonwealth/Newbury alley. These lining projects are now under design and will be bid out in the winter for construction in 2012. In the North End, BWSC expects to complete a lining project near Commercial and Richmond Streets before the winter. On Blagden Street behind the main branch of the Boston Public Library, they will have to do a cut and cover rebuild of the sewer line; this should begin in the spring. |
| November 17, 2011
| BWSC has made further repairs, including installation of a liner, to the manhole on Dartmouth Street that appears to have been a major cause of the reduction in groundwater levels along the street. As of Tuesday, BWSC is injecting water into the injection well that they installed on Dartmouth Street near the Beacon/Marlborough alley. Because this is using a hose, they will have to turn off the water when temperatures drop below freezing, but we will hopefully see some significant benefit. We continue to monitor the levels along the street closely with data loggers in all wells and will coordinate with BWSC as we see if the levels start to come up. |
| December 19, 2011
| BWSC is continuing to recharge water on Dartmouth Street. We have seen some increases in groundwater levels along the street since the repair to the manhole near the alley between Beacon and Marlborough Streets, with additional increases since the recharge resumed. However, levels close to Beacon Street remain below the point at which concern over the condition of wood pilings would be alleviated. BWSC remains committed to relining of the pipe sections between the alley and the West Side Interceptor under Beacon Street and between the Marlborough/Commonwealth alley and Newbury Street, which are likely to take place in the Spring. |
| January 19, 2012
| BWSC has discontinued recharge on Dartmouth Street because of the advent of freezing weather. The repair project is out for bid, with the work anticipated to take place this spring. |
