Store Owners Fearful; Authorities See Big Ice Deposits Slowing Thaw
Although no Washington street stores or Norwood residence cellers have been flooded this winter, the question of sewer or drain overflows such as those experienced here in recent years was brought up Tuesday night in a discussion between the Board of Selectmen and Town Engineer Albert W. Thompson.
Mr. Thompson said that should the condition occur this year, which is- not anticipated, it could be taken care of through opening plugs and employing pumps to drain cellars. The 12-inch sewer pipe along Washington Street is normally adequate, but during unusual flood conditions becomes overloaded. In the past this has caused a backup in stores along Washington Street, which do not have deep enough sewer connections. While one member of the Board of Selectmen pointed out that Norwood merchants fearful of losses in the event of flood conditions considered a new sewerage system on Washington Street an all-important project that should receive immediate attention, another Selectman said that it would impose a hardship on the taxpayers. He added that if the present sewer line is adequate and pumps can correct the condition, there were other more immediate projects calling for expenditures than the correction of an emergency condition.
In correcting sewerage backup, Mr. Thompson said that the cleanup can be opened by driving a hole in the plug. This will give sufficient drainage to alleviate the condition. In the case of stormwater flooding the basements after heavy rains pumps have worked successfully in stores where they have been installed. Installation of additional catch basins and drain extensions on streets leading down into Washington Street would also lighten the load, as the present catch basins clog up with sand, leaves and twigs and provide no trap.
During the discussion the resurfacing of Washington Street and removal of the car tracks was brought up. Thompson said that if this project is undertaken, the present 12-inch sewer pipe should be replaced by one twice its size. He pointed out that this would be of considerable expense as the pipe could not be installed on Washington Street alone but would have to go to Lenox Street, where the next largest sewer pipe was brought in from the Metropolitan system.
As recently as two years ago store basements were flooded and there was considerable loss of stock to local merchants. The fire department assisted at that time in pumping out the water, and due to the heavy snows this winter, merchants again fear a similar or worse occurrence during the thaw. Town authorities are not unduly concerned, however, as they have pointed out that where half the accumulation is snow, half is heavy ice, which is slow to melt