Water Street Sewer Main Temporarily Off-Line

David DaLuz of Fall River, working for J.F. White Contractors out of Framingham, opens up a section of the sewer line near the Eel Pond Bridge construction site in Woods Hole this morning. GENE M. MARCHAND/ENTERPRISE

FALMOUTH- Workers are in Woods Hole this morning digging up a portion of Water Street near the Eel Pond Bridge in order to cut off the sewer force main temporarily as part of the bridge reconstruction project.
The Eel Pond Bridge was taken apart two weeks ago but before the new bridge could be installed, an adjustment needed to be made to the sewer line, which runs under Eel Pond, to ensure it is not damaged during the construction.
Sewer workers were expected to spend the day today breaking open the pipe and cutting off the two force mains and two interceptors that go under Eel Pond. The wastewater will be pumped and hauled to the Shivericks Pond pumping station for the day.
This morning, there were four 3,500-gallon tankers in Woods Hole hauling away the wastewater.
Falmouth Wastewater Superintendent Gerald Potamis explained that the bridge abutment, which is the structure that takes the weight of the bridge, interferes with the existing sewer valves, so those needed to be adjusted.
Workers had to create a “bypass,” he explained, for the wastewater to flow through. It will then be reconnected.
The Woods Hole pump station handles about 200,000 gallons a day or about half of the town’s daily sewage flow. The rest comes from the Main Street area.
Mr. Potamis said the town is taking advantage of the timing of the sewer main adjustment to install a valve at the Woods Hole pump station also.