MARION — Town Administrator James McGrail and Rep. William Straus (10th Bristol) are pleased to share that $425,000 has been reserved for the Creek Road Pump Station reconstruction project as part of an amendment filed by Rep. Straus to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) relief bill, which was passed by the Massachusetts House of Representatives last week.
The existing Creek Road Pump Station (CRPS) is a critical component of the Marion sewer system, serving approximately 50% of the town by area. It consists of two buried structures — one housing critical pumping and electrical equipment and the other being a wet well used for flow storage prior to pumping.
The CRPS was built in the early-1970s and is currently deficient because the equipment is deteriorating and is difficult to access, operate and maintain, requiring extensive maintenance outside of what is regularly scheduled. The CRPS is subject to failures due to its location being susceptible to flooding, and does not meet current resilience and safety related design standards.
The reconstruction project proposes to replace the existing pump station in its entirety. The new CRPS will be built in the same location as the current station and will be safe and easy to maintain, resilient against flooding and designed to substantially reduce the risk and impacts of system failure.
The new CRPS is designed to withstand anticipated flooding due to changes in sea level and storm intensity through 2080. The design consists of a below-grade wet
well that is capable of prolonged submersion and an elevated structure above the design flood elevation to safeguard critical non-submersible components. The structure will be elevated on concrete columns that are designed to withstand storm surges and impacts from floating debris.
As part of the Massachusetts ARPA relief bill, an amendment filed by Rep. Straus has been included that reserves $425,000 for the town’s Creek Road Pump Station reconstruction project.
The ARPA program is intended to support the U.S. effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including offsetting the economic impact of the pandemic and supporting public health efforts meant to curb the spread of the virus. Among other initiatives, funding can be used for investments in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure. The bill must still pass the Senate and be signed by Gov. Charlie Baker.
Rep. Straus stated, “I am pleased to announce that as part of the ARPA relief bill, the House adopted an amendment I filed reserving $425,000 for the Creek Road Pump Station reconstruction project. We are experiencing firsthand the effects of climate change and the reconstruction project is a worthy candidate for the climate resiliency solutions the bill intends to address. This important project will better position Marion to meet the needs of its residents. I look forward to seeing the bill’s passage through the senate and on to the governor’s desk.”
The CRPS reconstruction project is expected to cost between $2.5-3 million in total and the town is working to identify and pursue additional state and federal funding opportunities.
“There are many known issues with the Creek Road Pump Station that require significant maintenance, and the risk of flooding and storm damage to our community has continued to grow and will certainly continue to affect the infrastructure of the station. Reconstructing the pump station with a more functional design will have a significant benefit to the town by improving resiliency, protecting public health, improving worker safety and reducing considerable maintenance costs,” Town Administrator McGrail said. “We are grateful to Rep. Straus for his advocacy for this funding and look forward to continuing our work on the project.”
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