The Town of Medway, MA, situated near the headwaters of the Charles River, is grappling with its contribution of pollutants to this impaired waterway. They are subject to a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit for stormwater discharges, and are a member community of the Charles River Water Pollution Control Facility, which is also subject to effluent limits under its NPDES permit. The Town seeks to evaluate its water resources management options in a holistic manner through an integrated plan.

Increased Regulatory Requirements

The Town is subject to three significant permits associated with its water-related infrastructure for potable water, stormwater, and wastewater. It recognizes that regulatory programs are increasingly inter-related, including requirements to mitigate impacts of operating one type of infrastructure (such as groundwater withdrawals) through the operation of another (such as stormwater infiltration). The Town did not have sufficient knowledge of its existing infrastructure to make the most cost-effective and sustainable improvements to its water resource infrastructure management.

A Road Map of Infrastructure Management

Through an Integrated Water Resources Management Plan, Kleinfelder is assisting the Town in creating a roadmap for the next 20 years of infrastructure management. The project includes field investigation and condition assessment of the storm drain and sanitary sewer systems, development of future need and capacity estimates, an environmental boring program to identify potential groundwater discharge or infiltrative capacity, and initial phases of an asset management and risk-based approach to capital improvement planning.

Project Results

The Town has begun extensive mapping of the storm drain system and used its planning approach as the basis for obtaining a $100,000 grant to assess a sustainable potable water program to complement its stormwater and wastewater strategies. The Town has also begun an analysis of the means to establish a stormwater utility that can provide a dedicated revenue source for long-term water quality protection.

Project Details

Location:
Medway, Massachusetts

Owner:
Town of Medway Department of Public Services