Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Renewal Program

Estimated Project Cost: $3.7 million WIFIA Program

The Diversion Gate House is one of three outlets for water to flow from Cobble Mountain Reservoir to the water treatment plant. (Its name refers to the diversion of the Little River during the reservoir’s construction in the 1930s.) Another outlet is a 42” bypass pipe at the Cobble Mountain Hydroelectric Station.

Upgrades to the Diversion Gate House were completed in fall 2021 and eliminated the risk of the gates freezing in winter, expanding their use to year-round. Planning is currently underway for Phase 2 of the Raw Water Outlet Improvement Project which will address necessary repairs of the 42” pipeline to ensure there are redundant paths for water to flow from the reservoir to the West Parish Filters Water Treatment Plant.

More information on the Outlet Improvements is available by  clicking here .

Pictured: Construction gets underway in Summer 2021 at the Diversion Gate House.

Cobble Mountain Hydroelectric Station, originally constructed in 1930, generates green energy, as water flows from Cobble Mountain Reservoir to West Parish Filters Water Treatment Plant. The power plant also serves as the third path for water to flow from the reservoir to the treatment plant. The hydropower generated at the facility provides the Commission with supplemental revenue to support the Commission’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP).

Pictured: Cobble Mountain Hydroelectric Station, built in 1930, located within the Watershed at Cobble Mountain Reservoir.

Estimated Project Cost: $379,000 Revenue Project Status: Planning

Two 93-inch pipes and one 66-inch pipe, each approximately 585 feet in length, will undergo repairs to provide much-needed resiliency and system redundancy for conveyance of raw water to the treatment plant.

Pictured: Cobble Mountain Hydroelectric Station, constructed in 1930, houses hydroelectric turbines through which raw water from Cobble Mountain Reservoir passes, generating green power.  

Estimated Project Cost: $290,000 Revenue

This project will address site drainage issues at the Cobble Mountain Hydroelectric Station.

The drainage system at the hydroelectric station is regulated by an EPA National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit as process water from the plant and storm water flow through the drainpipe downstream of the Intake Dam. An engineering assessment determined that the storm water could be separated, to reduce volume and limit back-ups in the existing drainpipe. The project includes the storm water separation and will extend the life of the separator discharge pipe.

Pictured: The Intake Reservoir at West Parish Filters.

Estimated Project Cost: $1.05 million Revenue

The Commission sells green electricity to the grid through transmission poles, some of which date to the 1930s when the power plant was built. Power supply poles for West Parish Filters will be upgraded as part of planned improvements to modernize the Cobble Mountain Hydroelectric Station and in accordance with ISO-NE maintenance regulations. The installation of the poles was completed in 2022. Wires are expected to be installed in 2023.

Pictured: Transmission poles located near the hydroelectric station within the Little River Watershed.

West Parish Filters Water Treatment Plant (WPF) is located in Westfield, approximately 15 miles from the City of Springfield. WPF was originally built in 1909 and last underwent significant modernization in 1974. The plant utilizes a rapid sand direct filtration method to filter raw water from Cobble Mountain Reservoir before it is disinfected and treated for corrosion control. The Commission also utilizes slow sand filters, which date from the 1920s, to meet peak and emergency demand.

The WPF campus also houses the Commission’s state-certified laboratory, which analyzes more than 50,000 water quality tests per year. The Commission’s watershed operations are also based at WPF.  Significant modernization of WPF is planned over the next 5-10 years to reduce risk of failure and meet evolving drinking water regulations to ensure that every time customers turn on their tap, clean, safe drinking water flows out.

Pictured: West Parish Filters Water Treatment Plant in Westfield where raw water from Cobble Mountain Reservoir in filtered and treated.  

Estimated Project Cost: $238 million WIFIA Program

This project will modernize the 1970s-era West Parish Filters drinking water treatment plant and addresses multiple needs to meet drinking water regulations (including disinfection byproducts), reduce risk, improve water quality, strengthen climate resiliency, and ensure reliability well into the 21st century.

More information is available on the project page:   https://waterandsewer.org/projects/drinking-water-projects-2/west-parish-filters-facilities-plan/. 

Pictured: Looking east over the campus of West Parish Filters in February 2022, where construction of the Clearwell and Backwash Pump Station Project is visible just west of the main facility. That project is the first of several upgrades included as part of the new treatment plant.

Estimated Project Cost: $25.8 million SRF Program

Replacement of the 1920s underground clearwell structure and installation of new backwash pumps at the treatment plant will improve water quality, energy efficiency, and increase system redundancy. Construction began in November 2021 and is expected to be completed by 2023.

More information is available on the project page:  https://waterandsewer.org/projects/drinking-water-projects-2/west-parish-filters-facilities-plan/. 

Pictured: Construction of the new clearwell structure, that will store filtered water to be used for the backwash (filter cleaning) process, in January 2023.

Estimated Project Cost: $9.3 million WIFIA Program

As part of several upgrades to the raw water conveyance system between Cobble Mountain Reservoir and West Parish Filters Water Treatment Plant, the 42-inch Raw Water Conveyance (RWC) Pipeline, which was damaged as a result of a valve failure in 2019, will be repaired.

Design of the project is complete and construction is expected to begin in 2023.

Pictured: The 42-inch Raw Water Conveyance (RWC) Pipeline valve house at the Sedimentation Basin at West Parish Filters.

Estimated Project Cost: $4.1 million WIFIA Program

Two lagoons at West Parish Filters capture water used in the filter cleaning (backwash) process. Residuals from the backwash process (such as natural organic materials that are filtered out of the drinking water) accumulate in these two lagoons over time. This project is for the planning, design and construction associated with the dewatering of the lagoons and disposal of the accumulated solids in accordance with EPA regulations.

The project is currently in design with dewatering and disposal of solids scheduled to being in 2024 following the permitting process.

Pictured: One of the two lagoons at West Parish Filters.

Estimated Project Cost: $1.6 million WIFIA Program

Following filtration, water is treated with chlorine to prevent waterborne illness caused by pathogens. To store chlorine and other materials the Commission maintains a separate chemical storage facility at West Parish Filters Water Treatment Plant, with safety features and strict protocols to protect staff, as well as the surrounding  community.  This project will improve deficiencies in the existing chlorine storage and feed system and upgrade the storage of the primary coagulant at West Parish Filters. The new storage facility will also have improved safety measures including sprinkler and fire protections.

The project started in 2021 and is expected to be completed in 2022.

 Pictured: The Bulk Chemical Storage Facility is located on the Commission’s West Parish Filters campus.

Treated water from West Parish Filters flows through transmission mains to Provin Mountain in Agawam, MA. At Provin Mountain finished water is housed in underground storage tanks before flowing, mostly by gravity, throughout the distribution system in Springfield and surrounding communities.  Currently there are three storage tanks in service that help maintain system pressure and adequate supply for sudden large withdrawals such as firefighting. The tanks were built between 1928 and 1960, and each hold approximately 12-17 million gallons of treated drinking water. To maintain this critical component of the water system several maintenance projects are planned at Provin Mountain.

Pictured: The top of Provin Mountain in Agawam, MA.

Estimated Project Cost: $420,000 Revenue

This project at the Provin Mountain Storage Tanks includes cleaning and inspection, as well as maintenance of the valves and sluice gates to allow for reliable isolation of the tanks.

The routine cleaning and assessment of the tanks is conducted every three years and this project will specifically cover years 2021-2027.

Pictured: Inside a Provin Mountain storage tank during cleaning and maintenance in FY20.

Estimated Project Cost: $210,000 Revenue

This project involves a tank condition assessment, and the installation of internal and external monitoring points to be used for surveys to establish baseline conditions and monitor future changes.

This project is ongoing as the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection requires routine monitoring until the tank is demolished.

More information about this project, as well as a completed decommissioning of Storage Tank 1, is available at   https://waterandsewer.org/projects/drinking-water-projects-2/provin-mountain-tank-maintenance-and-cleaning-project/  .

Pictured: The storage tanks at Provin Mountain were built into the mountain to harness the power of gravity to distribute the drinking water to Springfield.

The Springfield Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (SRWTF) is located on Bondi’s Island in Agawam, MA and treats approximately 40 million gallons of wastewater per day. The Commission owns the facility, and a contracted operator (Veolia) manages wastewater treatment for seven communities in the Lower Pioneer Valley. This makes the SRWTF a critical piece of infrastructure not just for Springfield, but for the entire region.

The first wastewater treatment facility was built on Bondi’s Island in the 1930s, and following the passage of the Clean Water Act in the 1970s, the current treatment facility was constructed. Much of the machinery and equipment, including components of the electrical system, are original to the 1970s construction. In 2021, supported by financing from the WIFIA Program, the Commission initiated significant upgrades to the SRWTF help modernize the plant. The upgrades will improve efficiency, and meet evolving EPA regulatory requirements so that the Commission can continue to deliver on its mission to collect and treat wastewater and return clean water to the environment.

Pictured:  The Springfield Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility on Bondi’s Island in Agawam, MA. Construction of a new influent structure and three new river crossing pipes is ongoing as part of the York Street Pump Station and Connecticut River Crossing Project.

Estimated Project Cost: $28.1 million SRF Program

The “primary” treatment of wastewater involves the removal of larger solids and “grit” like sand, gravel, coffee grounds, and food scraps to prevent accumulation in pipes or damage to machinery.  Existing equipment in the primary treatment process will be upgraded to improve operations. Work includes the installation of four new grit removal tanks, replacement of primary clarifier traveling bridges (which collect solids settled from the wastewater), and upgrades to the existing grit cyclones.

Pictured: One of the traveling bridges at the primary clarifiers that will be replaced as part of the upgrades.    

Estimated Project Cost: $4.6 million SRF Program

Wastewater travels through a “primary” and “secondary” treatment process. The primary treatment process removes larger solids, while the secondary treatment process utilizes bacteria to break down organic waste. The bacteria require oxygen for metabolism, which is provided through air blown through aeration diffusers. New piping and diffuser heads will improve efficiency for this step, which is the most energy-intensive portion of the wastewater treatment process.

Pictured: Existing aeration diffusers that will be replaced as part of the Aeration Systems Upgrades Project.

Estimated Project Cost: $21.2 million SRF Program

The secondary treatment process also results in the removal of excess nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen, which helps protect the ecosystem of the Connecticut River. New high-efficiency equipment and updated control technology will be installed to improve the nutrient removal process and meet evolving EPA discharge permit regulations.

Pictured: The Biological Nutrient Removal Process at work at the secondary treatment basins at the SRWTF.

Estimated Project Cost: $5.5 million SRF Program 

Wastewater treatment is an energy-intensive process, with systems operating 24/7/365. The electrical system, last modernized in the 1970s, is being updated to reduce risk of failure and improve efficiency.   

Pictured: Electrical equipment at the SRWTF, original to the plant’s construction in the 1970s.

Estimated Project Cost: $2.2 million SRF Program

The Grit and Screenings Room is where large, in-tact solids – such as wipes and other non-flushable items – are removed from wastewater before it enters the primary treatment basins. A new ventilation system will be installed in the Grit and Screenings Room which will help to limit odors and corrosion.

More information on the SRWTF projects is available at:  https://waterandsewer.org/ww-treatment-improvements/ .

Pictured: The Grit and Screenings Room at the SRWTF.

The Commission provides retail drinking water to Springfield and Ludlow and retail wastewater service to Springfield. Services that are critical to everyday life, economic development, and public health.

Within the distribution and collection systems the Commission maintains a network of pipes, valves, manholes and pump stations, some of which have been in service for 100 years or more. Upgrades to portions of this network are planned as part of the Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Program, in addition to ongoing asset management and maintenance programs (such as for hydrants and water meters), and water and sewer emergency response services.  

Pictured: Skyline view of the City of Springfield, taken from Bondi’s Island in Agawam.

Estimated Project Cost: $1.2 million Revenue

To maintain almost 500 miles of sewer pipe and help prevent sewer backups, the Commission initiated a cleaning and assessment program in 2009, one of the first comprehensive programs in the nation. The sewer system is cleaned, mapped, and assessed using Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) on a rotating schedule. It takes approximately 10 years to clean and assess the entire system, with the first round of the program concluding in 2019. Round two was initiated in 2020 and is ongoing through 2026 (based on budget appropriations).

More information is available at:  https://waterandsewer.org/projects/maintenance-programs/wastewater-collection-system-asset-management-program/ .

Pictured: Commission crew members operate a vacuum truck to clean a sewer in a Springfield neighborhood.  

Estimated Project Cost: $2 million Revenue

Through the Collection System Cleaning and Assessment Program, areas of the sewer system in need of repair or replacement are identified. The Planning and Design of Collection System Improvements Project will utilize the prioritized list of collection system pipes to plan upgrades for a multi-year period (2021-2033) of the recurring rehabilitation program.  The project will help ensure continued service reliability and prevent costly sewer backups and blockages.

Pictured: Commission crews prepare to install a new sewer pipe in Springfield in 2021. Collection system upgrades like this are carefully planned several years in advance as part of the ongoing Collection System Improvements Project.  

Estimated Project Cost: $16.3 million WIFIA Program

Sewer upgrades for FY24-FY26 will be completed based on the prioritized list of collection system improvements. Sewer upgrades for FY24-FY26 will be completed based on the prioritized list of collection system improvements. Currently, upgrades are planned as part of roadway redesign and construction projects at Court Square in Downtown Springfield.

As planning and design is completed, construction of the upgrades will begin.

Pictured: Commission crews replace a sewer pipe in the Indian Orchard section of Springfield in 2021.   

Estimated Project Cost: $17.2 million WIFIA Program

Approximately 40% of the Commission’s water mains are 75 years old or older. To maintain service reliability, the Commission analyzes and prioritizes water mains for repair or replacement. Approximately 5 miles of water main replacement projects are planned each year.

Distribution system improvement projects for the 2023-2026 construction seasons are included in the Commission’s WIFIA portfolio. Planned projects include water system upgrades as part of roadway redesign and construction at the X in the Forest Park Neighborhood, and the St. James Avenue, St. James Boulevard, and Carew Street project in the East Springfield neighborhood.

Will there be construction in your neighborhood? View current projects on the Commission’s interactive construction map.

Pictured: Commission crews replace a water main along Springfield Street in Springfield.

Estimated Project Cost: $25 million SRF Program

The Locust Street Water and Sewer Upgrade Project is a major infrastructure modernization project underway in the South End Neighborhood of Springfield.

Water pipes are being replaced, and 1,000 feet of sewer pipe is being rehabilitated along Locust Street. A new, 500 foot long, 72 inch diameter, Transfer Pipeline will divert flow from the Main Interceptor to the new state-of-the-art  pump station  currently under construction on York Street, along West Columbus Avenue. A new debris settling basin will also be installed at the intersection of Cherry, Mill, and Locust Streets to help prevent neighborhood sewer backups and blockages, especially during heavy rain events.

The project will help convey wastewater more reliably and efficiently from several Springfield neighborhoods across the Connecticut River to the wastewater treatment plant on Bondi’s Island. Construction is expected to be complete in 2024.

More information is available at:  https://waterandsewer.org/projects/wastewater-projects/locust-transfer/.  

Pictured: The South End neighborhood in Springfield taken from the site of the new York Street Pump Station.