Category Archives: DPW

We Are in a Tier 2 Water Restriction

Posted on July 3, 2025 | Comments Off on We Are in a Tier 2 Water Restriction

From DPW alert –

July 03, 2025

Water Restriction – Tier 2

Due to the decreasing stream flow in the Charles River and lack of rainfall it is the responsibility for compliance with our Water Management Act Permit, the Town of Medfield is instituting a town-wide conservation restriction for nonessential water use beginning immediately. The restriction will be categorized at a Tier 2 level which states the following:

“Tier 2”

“Streamflow Triggered Restrictions based on Water Management Act Permit”
“Nonessential water use allowed every other day. Even numbered addresses will be allowed to
lawn water on even numbered calendar days. Odd numbered addresses will be allowed to lawn
water on odd numbered calendar days.”

“Lawn watering allowed outside the hours of 9am to 5pm on designated day.”

Residents are asked to visit the town’s website frequently for updates to this restriction.

Information about Water Restrictions:

When elevated restrictions are in place, nonessential outdoor water uses that are subject to mandatory restrictions include: 

  • Irrigation of lawns via sprinklers or automatic irrigation systems; 
  • Washing of vehicles, except in a commercial car wash or as necessary for operator safety; 
  • Washing of exterior building surfaces, parking lots, driveways or sidewalks, except as necessary to apply surface treatments such as paint, preservatives, stucco, pavement or cement. 

Water uses not subject to mandatory restrictions are those required: 

  • For health or safety reasons; 
  • By regulation; 
  • For the production of food and fiber; 
  • For the maintenance of livestock; 
  • To meet the core functions of a business (for example, irrigation by plant nurseries as necessary to maintain stock).

View it on website

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Posted in DPW, Water & Sewer

Water Main Break – Hartford Street & Main Street 

Posted on January 27, 2025 | Comments Off on Water Main Break – Hartford Street & Main Street 

Alert from town this AM –

January 27, 2025

Water Main Break – Hartford Street

NOTICE

Notice: Water Main Break – Hartford Street & Main Street 

There is a water main break in the area of 2 Hartford Street. Water service may be interrupted later today while repairs are being made. We advise all traffic to avoid the area to minimize congestion.

Water will be restored to the area as soon as possible. We will provide updates as necessary.

After the repair is made if you are experiencing discolored water, please flush your system with cold water only until it clears. 

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to resolve the issue. 
View it on website

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Posted in Charter & Bylaw Review, DPW, Water & Sewer

WEST & RTE 27

Posted on August 24, 2024 | 9 comments

Town Administrator, Kristine Trierweiler shared her Summer 2024 TOWN ADMINISTRATOR UPDATE with Select Board at our meeting on Tuesday, and I especially wanted to share the part below in blue font which is a follow up about the planned improvements to the West Street and RTE 27 intersection. At the Select Board meeting, Kris shared that in her meeting with MASSDOT that the state said that if Medfield builds the roundabout, as the state wants, that the state would find the town all of the monies to construct the roundabout. Whereas if we opt to install a traffic light, we will have to pay the entire $1.9m. cost on out own dime, as we will lose the $1.3m. Federal earmark.

To be clear, this Select Board member preferred the roundabout from the outset. It was the other two Select Board members who said they preferred the traffic light and who asked to have Kris pursue the traffic light option with the state.

The town now has the roundabout, which the MASSDOT traffic engineers say is the safest alternative, available to the town at no cost, versus a less safe traffic light option that will cost the town $1.9m. – should be an easy choice. If the town builds the traffic lights, your family’s share would be $4-5,000.

West Street and Route 27 Project Update

Maurice Goulet, Director of Public Works and I met with Beta Engineering and the MADOT engineering team to discuss the two different paths forward for the project as requested by the Select Board. For the first path, MADOT has confirmed that if we would like to utilize the 1.3 million dollar earmark we would have to continue with the MADOT process and that would include the consideration of a roundabout for this location. The total cost of that project is $1.9, however, MADOT indicated they would assist the Town in securing the remaining funding. MADOT believes that this location would benefit from a roundabout design. The next step if the Select Board elects this option is to go to the 25% design threshold.

9 Comments

Posted in Development, DPW, Federal Government, Planning, Safety, State, Transportation

Ribbon Cut for Water Treatment Facility

Posted on June 17, 2024 | Comments Off on Ribbon Cut for Water Treatment Facility
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Celebrates New Water Treatment Facility in Medfield Medfield, MA, June 17, 2024 - Today, Michael Quinlan, Chair of the Town of Medfield's Permanent Planning and Building Committee delivered opening remarks at an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the new Water Treatment Facility located off of Elm Street. Also present at the event was the Select Board, Board of Water and Sewerage, and Town of Medfield staff to celebration the completion of this significant project. "The Permanent Planning and Building Committee in partnership with the Water and Sewer Board are proud to announce the opening of Medfield's new Water Treatment Facility. A project 12 years in the making, it began design in 2012, was approved at Town Meeting in 2021 and began operation in 2023. With an approved budget of $12M, the project was completed for approximately $10.6M. We appreciate the hard work of the project team: Woodard and Curran (OPM), Environmental Partners (Design and Engineering) and Biszko Builders (General Contractor) and are grateful for the staff of the DPW for their tireless efforts to maintain our drinking water system each and every day!" said Michael Quinlan. This project has restored the available capacity of Wells 3 and 4 to their original levels, providing the Town with a redundant source of supply for its largest well, Well 6. Well No. 3 was replaced, and Well No. 4 was fully rehabilitated, allowing the Water Treatment Facility to supply over 60% of the Town’s average daily demand. Historically, elevated levels of iron and manganese from the wellfield resulted in water quality complaints and operational challenges for the Town. The new Water Treatment Facility offers state-of-the-art treatment for the removal of iron and manganese from groundwater, ensuring compliance with drinking water standards. The Town of Medfield would like to thank the project team consisting of Environmental Partners Group, LLC as the designer, Woodard & Curran as the owner’s project manager, and Biszko Building Systems as the general contractor. The project was overseen by the Town’s Permanent Planning and Building Committee.

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Posted in Buildings, DPW, Water & Sewer

David Temple’s roundabout information for RTE 27 & West

Posted on June 12, 2024 | 5 comments

The email below is from David Temple to follow up on his Tuesday Select Board meeting comments in support of installing a roundabout at RTE 27 and West Street instead of new traffic lights and to share his data sources (NB- David did not include a reference to the Roman philosopher Cicero materials he cited). David noted that all who study the issue seem to agree that roundabouts are safer and significant improvements over lights for multiple reasons.

MassDOT prefers we install a roundabout thereso much that we would lose our Federal earmark for $1.3m. and it would cost the town over a $1m. more to install traffic lights instead.:

I spoke in support of installing roundabouts instead of traffic lights in Medfield, and I presented documents from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Massachusetts Dept, of Transportation, and the North Carolina Dept. of Transportation. They asked for electronic copies, for which I have attached links. Please forward them to the board and Kristine.  Thanks.

https://www.iihs.org/topics/roundabouts

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/what-are-roundabouts#:~:text=Roundabouts%20are%20more%20efficient%20than,shorter%20than%20at%20traffic%20signals.

https://movingnorthcarolina.net/roundabout/

5 Comments

Posted in DPW, Safety, State, Transportation

Correction re roundabout & traffic lights – lights will cost us + $1.1m. more per DPW Director

Posted on June 5, 2024 | 2 comments

Chris Potts kindly shared with me her notes from listening to the MTV version of Maurice Goulet, Director DPW presenting to the Select Board last week about the MassDOT preference that the RTE 27 and West Street intersection be improved with a roundabout instead of new traffic lights and the link below to the MTV recording.

“Here’s a link to the recording that starts at the point in the discussion when costs were noted: https://youtu.be/VemA9lcCRhQ?t=1903” I see that the presentation on the intersection begins at 27:00.

Chris’ input got me to listen to the MTV video of the meeting about what Moe said, and I now supply a more accurate account. Moe said:

  • it will cost the town $1.1m. more if the town opts to do new traffic lights instead of the roundabout.
  • the costs are
    • traffic lights:
      • $1.4m. +$300,000 for design costs
      • town would not get the $1.3m. Federal earmark
      • = $1.7m. net cost to town.
    • roundabout:
      • $1.8m. + unknown amounts for takings of slope easements and temporary takings
      • town gets the $1.3 Federal earmark
      • = $500,000 net cost to town.
  • How Moe gets to the $1.1m.of extra cost to the town, instead of $1.2m. I do, is not clear to me, but it might be the needed takings he references.
  • Moe also used the words that MassDOT will “require” the roundabout, and that MassDOT is “adamant” about employing roundabouts unless one proves that a roundabout will “not work” at the site.
  • My prior post stated a $800,000 increased cost to do traffic lights instead of a roundabout, and that was wrong. The increased cost of the traffic lights is either Moe’s $1.1m. or the $1.2m. that I figure.

2 Comments

Posted in DPW, State, Transportation

MASSDOT recommends roundabout at RTE 27 & West

Posted on June 4, 2024 | 2 comments

Maurice Goulet, Director of the DPW, told the Select Board at its meeting last Tuesday that MASSDOT prefers that the town improve the intersection of RTE 27 and West Street by installing a roundabout instead of new traffic signals. That intersection has more motor vehicle crashes than any other in Medfield – hence the concerns and need to improve its safety. Mo said that if the town defies the MASSDOT preference for the roundabout and opts to install new traffic signals instead, that it will likely cost the town $800,000 more than if the town built the roundabout.

There is a Federal earmark secured by Congressman Auchincloss involved for what I recall as $1.2m. to improve that intersection, but which Chris Potts writes in her Medfield Insider (quoted below) as $1.3m., and which I understood from Mo may be at risk if the town goes against the MASSDOT recommendation for a roundabout. Mo said the result is that the town will pay $800,000 more if we do a new traffic signal instead of a roundabout.

Based on the limited information provided to the Select Board to date, I prefer both installing the roundabout and saving the $800,000. Select Board members Murby and Murphy said they preferred new traffic lights.

See a couple of my past posts about roundabouts:

Poynton, England’s $4m fix could hold solutions for Medfield’s Rte. 109
Rte. 27 roundabouts?

I especially like the roundabouts in Norfolk Center and the one in Wellesley at the base of the hill by Babson College (RTE 135 and Wellesley Avenue) that Wellesley recently redid to make the lanes smaller and better angled so as to slow speeds.

Mo Goulet shared with the Select Board a possible preliminary design of the roundabout from the MASS DOT traffic engineers, part of which is shown below.

The following longer account of the presentation on the matter at the Select Board meeting was taken directly from the Medfield Insider:



Select Board Members Debate Roundabout   While efforts by Congressman Jake Auchincloss resulted in Medfield receiving a $1.3 million state earmark for West Street/Route 27 intersection improvements, the funding comes with a catch: Medfield may be forced to construct a single-lane roundabout.   As noted by DPW Director Maurice Goulet in a recent discussion with Select Board, due to the earmark, the project must go through a review by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, which is adamant about installing roundabouts, if at all possible.   The alternative preferred approached of installing dedicated turn lanes with traffic light improvements is estimated to cost $1.7 million, while a roundabout is estimated to cost $1.8 million, with additional costs for land-takings and easements.   Select Board members Eileen Murphy and Gus Murby said they were opposed to a roundabout at the West Street/Route 27 intersection and expressed concerns about vehicle speed, and dangerous pedestrian crossings and biking routes, while member Pete Peterson said he is in favor of the roundabout because he has seen them work well in other towns, and trusts the opinions of state engineers.   If the town were to pursue turn lanes instead of a roundabout, it is likely the project would need to be self-funded. After an extensive (and at times heated) Select Board discussion, Goulet will gather more information and try to make a case to the state about foregoing the roundabout option, even though he’s not optimistic about the outcome.

2 Comments

Posted in DPW, Trails

DPW alert on water restrictions

Posted on September 15, 2022 | 5 comments

Water restriction explanation issued today by the DPW – “All non-essential outdoor water use (except watering with a handheld hose) is prohibited“

Water Conservation Restrictions

Current Water Conservation Status (updated Sept 8, 2022): The Town of Medfield is in a Level 2 – SIGNIFICANT DROUGHT status. 

The Massachusetts Drought Management Task Force meets periodically to re-evaluate the conditions of the State’s water supply. We remind all residents that the Town of Medfield is in a Tier 4 water restriction until the drought status improves. All non-essential outdoor water use (except watering with a handheld hose) is prohibited at this time (this includes irrigation of new and existing lawns, car washing, house power washing etc.) We thank each and every one of our Medfield residents for their diligence in following the current water restrictions. 

More information about the state’s drought declaration is available here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/drought-status  

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. If you have any questions, please contact the Water Department at 508-906-3004 or by email to mgoulet@medfield.net 

Information about Water Restrictions:

When elevated restrictions are in place, nonessential outdoor water uses that are subject to mandatory restrictions include: 

  • Irrigation of lawns via sprinklers or automatic irrigation systems; 
  • Washing of vehicles, except in a commercial car wash or as necessary for operator safety; 
  • Washing of exterior building surfaces, parking lots, driveways or sidewalks, except as necessary to apply surface treatments such as paint, preservatives, stucco, pavement or cement. 

Water uses not subject to mandatory restrictions are those required: 

  • For health or safety reasons; 
  • By regulation; 
  • For the production of food and fiber; 
  • For the maintenance of livestock; 
  • To meet the core functions of a business (for example, irrigation by plant nurseries as necessary to maintain stock).

5 Comments

Posted in DPW, Water & Sewer

Watering lawns still banned

Posted on September 14, 2022 | Comments Off on Watering lawns still banned

Maurice Goulet, Director of the DPW addressed the status of the drought and the watering ban issues at the Select Board meeting last night.

My key take always were:

  1. despite recent rains and an easing of the drought tiers, the town still has an outdoor watering ban in effect, so that only hand held outdoor watering is currently permitted.
  2. Moe said that the town will re-examine that status in the near term (week to two weeks), to see if lawn irrigation can be permitted so as to allow residents to plant and establish new grass this fall before it becomes too late to do so.

For those like me searching for a lawn solution beyond my current tall fescue, I recently came across this interesting drought tolerant and very expensive grass, sold at Whole Foods Market.

I just bought a lot of white clover seed, to reinstall the clover in my lawn, which my recent reading tells me I killed off by fertilizing the grass. But clover needs watering too.

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Posted in Climate, DPW, Water & Sewer

Rte. 109 construction starts Friday & will take a week

Posted on August 17, 2022 | Comments Off on Rte. 109 construction starts Friday & will take a week

This alert this afternoon from the DPW –

DPW 2022 Projects

Summer 2022 Roadway Projects 

Main Street (Route 109) from Brook Street to the Dover Town Line / Brook Street from Main Street to Green Street

  • Paving is scheduled to begin on Friday, August 19 and take approximately one week until completion. Prep work will begin the week of August 15. Construction will take place during the day; traffic delays are anticipated and we encourage drivers to seek alternate routes. 

COMPLETE Evergreen / Longmeadow area 

COMPLETE North Street from Frairy Street to Pine Street

Picture of North St at Frairy from August 2022

COMPLETE West Street from North Meadows Road to the Millis Town Line

Picture of West Street at Bridge from August 2022

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Posted in DPW