Broken main leaves East Wareham businesses, homes without water
Incident occurs weeks before officials planned to seek $1.7 million for replacement
Nov 26, 2018
Onset Fire District officials will seek $1.7 million to replace a water main at a special district meeting set for Dec. 17. The news arrived the same day a broken main shut off water to several businesses. Photo courtesy: Onset Fire District
Businesses and homes on Cranberry Highway in East Wareham were without water Monday afternoon and evening while crews worked to repair a broken main.
The break occurred weeks before Onset Fire District officials will request $1.7 million at a Special District Meeting to replace the main. The meeting is scheduled for Dec. 17 in the Onset Veterans of Foreign Wars Post. Onset Water Department officials said the break occurred early afternoon near Bailey’s Surf N Turf, located at 3056 Cranberry Highway.
“Most of Cranberry Highway’s eastbound lane was shut down with no water,” said Onset Water Commissioner Ken Fontes. Water was restored Monday night as crews worked through heavy wind and rain.
In the days before the break, officials were preparing to discuss the need for a new main ahead of the district meeting. A public information session is set for Dec. 5 at 5:30 p.m. in the Onset Water Department, 15 Sand Pond Road.
Plans call for replacing the main from 500 feet past Tyler Avenue to just before Sand Pond Road, said Onset Water Commissioner Ben Hughes. The main dates back to 1924.
“It’s really important we get this done,” said Hughes. “The line is a mess...Our infrastructure needs our attention – badly.”
Officials are pushing for approval before the state begins a long-anticipated overhaul of Cranberry Highway.
The $20 million, 1.6-mile project is slated to start construction in 2019. The project would revamp the highway from near the Cranberry Plaza Shopping Center, where Routes 6 and 28 split into west and eastbound lanes, to a point approximately 900 feet east of the Red Brook Road Intersection.
Hughes said the state offered to install the line at no cost to the district. If approved, the $1.7 million would be used to purchase materials only.
“The state is basically forcing our hand here,” said Hughes. “If we do not have approval by the end of the year the state will take us out of the bid process, thereby putting the entire replacement of the line on us. The cost would be prohibitive to say the least.”
