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Engineering

6 Park Row, Mansfield, MA 02048
P (508) 261-7377, F (508) 261-7343

HOURS: Mon/Tue/Thu 8am-4pm
Wed 8am-8pm
Fri 8am-12pm

Department Overview:

The Engineering Department’s responsibilities encompass a wide range of projects involving the  design, permitting, construction review and inspection of sewers, drainage systems, culverts, roads, bridges and dams.  In addition, they  include the design and field engineering for various Municipal Public Works projects, the monitoring and repairing of the Town’s sewer collection system, and the assessing and improving the Town’s drainage system. The Department also coordinates with consultants, bids and awards contracts in its efforts to successfully complete many projects efficiently and cost effectively.

 

The Department has its own Total Station survey equipment and utilizes the Town’s field GIS equipment for obtaining existing infrastructure data.  The Department utilizes this field data along with AutoCad, GIS and various engineering design software for developing drawings for Town projects.

The Engineering Department is available to answer questions on drainage, sewer and other land development issues, in addition to performing technical reviews for site plans and subdivision plans in support of other Town Departments.

The following information can be picked up at the Engineering Department.

  • Sewer Application/Permit for Installation of a Sewer Connection,     

  • Sewer Extension or Sewer Repair

  •  List of presently approved Sewer Drainlayers

  •  Drainlayer’s License and Sewer Permit Regulation

  •  Application for a Sewer Drainlayer’s License

  •  Sewer Use Regulations

  •  Rules and Regulations for the Extension of Public Sewers (for homeowners)

Due to the growth of Mansfield over the years, the demand on the utility infrastructure has increased tremendously, resulting in the need for costly improvements and upgrades. Of particular importance to the Engineering Department has been overseeing the repair of the Town’s aging sewer system, where extraneous water enters the system and  impacts the limited capacity of our Wastewater Treatment Plant, located in the town of Norton.  Extensive repairs of many leaking sewer manholes and pipes in 2001, was continued in 2002 and into 2003, with the resealing of a combined total of 205 sewer manholes, and the relining of over two miles of leaking sewer pipes.
In 2003, we accelerated our schedule for conducting inspections of all house and business sewer connections (i.e., over 3,000 sewer users) to identify and eliminate the flow of unnecessary stormwater into the sewer system.  These inspections were controlled by the Engineering Department through the use of the new GIS computer system, and all inspections were performed by Engineering and DPW personnel.  The cooperation of Mansfield’s residents and businesses was greatly appreciated. We found 2% of the inspected properties had illegal inflow sources connected to the sanitary sewer system.  Among those connected, we had identified 60 sump pumps, which during high groundwater and heavy rainfall could have contributed over 300,000 gallons per day to the sanitary sewer system. All have now been redirected. This major Inflow and Infiltration Program (I&I) continued with a final major repair effort of relining sewer pipes and repairing sewer manholes in 2005. The total I&I Program costs over 2 million dollars, and this program now needs to be followed by continued annual maintenance and repair of the sewer system.

For more information on Inflow and Infiltration, please go to the I/I Page (Adobe pdf file).

Increased growth has also taxed the Town’s drainage system.  A new federally mandated EPA program required Mansfield to develop and implement stormwater management plan to reduce pollutant discharge to our rivers and streams to protect water quality.  A five-year plan was submitted to the State on July 23, 2003, describing how the Town will implement drainage improvements.  These improvements include cleaning lines and basins, public education and outreach programs, detection and elimination of illicit discharges and constructing water quality structures prior to stormwater discharge to rivers and streams.  This EPA/DEP permit requirement will be a long-term requirement, and will require the Town to track down pollutant sources and to do something about them.  In order to comply with these federal requirements, we were able to obtain a State Revolving Fund Loan (SRF) for $1,005,000, at zero percent interest, to help finance the inventorying, mapping and inspecting of our Town’s drainage system. The Town’s Consultants, Camp Dresser & McKee, inventoried and mapped the drainage system through the implementation of a Geographic Information System (GIS). Their work was completed in 2003, and the system is totally operated and maintained by Town personnel. This GIS system benefits nearly all Town Departments and the public for quick access and retrieval of significant amounts of information. The GIS system contains an aerial photo of the Town, along with utilities, land use maps and assessor’s data in digital format. This aerial photo from 2001 is being re-flown in 2006 to keep the system updated and useful.

For more information on Mansfield’s Stormwater Permit Requirements, please go to the new Stormwater Phase II Permit page.

 
 

 

 

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