PRESS RELEASE
Ria Convery
(617) 788-1105, ria.convery@mwra.com
Jeffrey McLaughlin
(617) 305-5762, jeffrey.mclaughlin@mwra.com
Work to Begin on Spot Pond Covered Storage Project
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About This Project
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In October 2011, MWRA awarded a contract for the construction of a 20 million-gallon water storage facility and pump station on the site of the former Boston Regional Medical Center.
The underground, concrete tanks will provide water storage for MWRA’s Low Service area, which includes Charlestown, Chelsea, Malden, Medford, Everett and Somerville. The pump station will provide system redundancy for 21 communities currently served by the Gillis Pump Station, including Stoneham, Wakefield, Woburn and Winchester.
The design calls for upland meadows to be planted on top of the buried tanks providing additional open space and public access adjacent to the Fells Reservation.
Location | Schedule | The Role of Covered Storage
About This Project
In October 2011, MWRA awarded a contract for the construction of a 20 million-gallon water storage facility and pump station on the site of the former Boston Regional Medical Center.
The underground, concrete tanks will provide water storage for MWRA’s Low Service area, which includes Charlestown, Chelsea, Malden, Medford, Everett and Somerville. The pump station will provide system redundancy for 21 communities currently served by the Gillis Pump Station, including Stoneham, Wakefield, Woburn and Winchester.
The design calls for upland meadows to be planted on top of the buried tanks providing additional open space and public access adjacent to the Fells Reservation.
Originally, 17 potential sites in the vicinity of Spot Pond were evaluated for environmental, construction, infrastructure, and cost considerations. The Boston Regional Medical Center site was ultimately chosen as it does not impact the open space adjacent to Spot Pond, it can accommodate the addition of the proposed pump station and has lower construction costs. MWRA purchased the 7-acre site from the Guetierrez Company.
Schedule
The $49.3 million design/build contract was awarded to Walsh Construction Company. Excavation of the site will begin in early April 2012. Final design will continue for a few months while excavation is underway. Construction of foundations will begin in late summer 2012. Final completion is scheduled for fall 2014.
The Role of Covered Storage
Covered distribution storage is needed within a water system to balance flows during the daily use cycle and to store a reserve supply of treated water to handle unusual or emergency situations such as fires, water main breaks, maintenance activities or other system failures.
MWRA's service area ranges from the hills of central Massachusetts to near sea-level communities on the East Coast. Covered water storage tanks are located at key elevation points, helping to maintain appropriate pressure levels across the system.
Department of Environmental Protection safe drinking water regulations require that distribution storage facilities be covered to protect the quality of treated drinking water.
MWRA has recently constructed a new network of tanks to protect and store treated drinking water in compliance with the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The tanks replace a 100-year old system of open reservoirs. Many of the original, open reservoirs – like Spot Pond - are still maintained for emergency use.
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Updated June 10, 2015
Posted March 16, 2012