City applies for DEP grant for sewer work

Published September 20, 2019

MELROSE — The City of Melrose recently applied for a $60,000 Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) grant to allow it to better keep track of sewer maintenance and pinpoint possible trouble spots. DPW submitted the application for an asset management grant in August 2019, and the outcome will be announced in November. The grant will help DPW monitor its preventative maintenance program and collect data to help the Sewer Division decide which areas need extra attention. The total project will cost $100,000, of which the city is responsible for 40 percent.

If awarded, the grant will fund programs and technology in conjunction with the existing sewer system capital program, funded by grants and loans from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA).

The MWRA-funded capital program focuses on the reduction of groundwater and rainwater flows into the sewer system using a systematic approach. The current program has been divided into five phases; upon completion of all five, every sewer main in Melrose will have undergone a video inspection and analysis.

In addition to the ongoing sewer capital program, the city conducts routine maintenance of sewer mains to keep pipes functioning and to remove grease, roots, sanitary wipes, and other items that may build up in pipes over time. This program is funded through the sewer enterprise fund.

The MassDEP Asset Management Grant will be used to develop more robust tools to track and analyze DPW’s routine sewer maintenance program. The goal of this grant funding would be to develop technology to be used by field personnel to track preventative maintenance and specific findings during routine work, in order to better inform decision making as to where additional maintenance or capital repairs are needed. These tools will also allow the city to electronically track which pipes have been cleaned and when, and whether those pipes were found to have excessive grease, roots, or other concerns. This data will then translate to actions such as scheduling root control treatment or targeting public outreach to reduce grease, wipes or other items that should not go down the drain.

The City elected not to apply for the MassDEP grant in the past for the following reasons:

• The MWRA program provides Melrose with over $1 million per phase, while the MassDEP Asset Management Grant funding is capped at $150,000 per community.

• Melrose is automatically allocated money during each phase of the MWRA program, whereas obtaining the MassDEP funding requires a lengthy competitive process.

• MWRA’s funding is provided as 75 percent grant funding and 25 percent loan funding. MWRA allows the city’s 25 percent contribution to be paid over a 10-year period with no interest; the MassDEP Asset Management Grant requires a 40 percent match from the city, of which 20 percent must be cash. The remaining 20 percent city match may be in-kind services (i.e., city staff time tracked toward the project). Thus, the MassDEP program is not as financially advantageous.

• The MWRA local assistance funding program is exclusively for infiltration and inflow reduction, while the MassDEP funding is exclusively for specific asset management programs.

Since the MWRA program’s inception a decade ago, the City has taken advantage of all available funding, totaling $7,157,300. In addition, the Board of Aldermen recently authorized the City to apply for $1,500,000 during the current round of funding, which will bring the total to $8,657,300. The MassDEP grant, if received, would supplement these funds and provide the city with an opportunity to expand its resources in the areas of routine and preventative maintenance.