The Granville Reservoir remains dry as a safety inspection is performed. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – The Water Commission voted last night to continue the current water use restrictions until the end of September because of the on-going repair work at the Granville Reservoir dam.
Water Resource Superintendent Dave Billips said the ban was set to expire when the treatment plant, which draws water from Granville Reservoir, was put back on line this month.
“That will not happen,” Billips said to the Water Commission members last night because of a delay in the upgrade to the dam face.
Deputy Superintendent Fran Cain said this morning that the dam upgrade includes reinforcing the “toe” of the dam by adding new material and installing a new under-drain system. The earthen dam allows water to weep through the dam and is then collected by the drainage system.
Cain said a “soft spot” in the face of the dam was found and the Office of Dam Safety, a division of the Department of Energy and Environmental Affairs, was notified and requested the city drain the reservoir to facilitate an investigation of the dam structure.
“The way the dam is designed allows water to percolate through the soil and is collected by the drainage system,” Cain said. “There is no clay barrier or membrane.”
“During the re-sloping work (to reinforce the dam toe) the (Tighe & Bond) project engineers saw material shifting, so the Office of Dam Safety wanted to drain (the reservoir) and monitor the dam to see the extent of further cracking,” Cain said.
“The Office of Dam Safety engineers made the determination that (the dam) is safe and stable,” Cain said. “They told us to proceed with the planned upgrades which include installation of the new underdrain system.
Billips said the problem now is that a significantly wet summer is needed to refill Granville Reservoir.
“Filling the reservoir during the summer is difficult unless we have a really wet summer,” Billips said. “So I’m recommending that we do the water use ban just like last summer. It’s unfortunate, but it’s out of our control.”
The mandatory non-essential water use restriction begins June 6 and is effective through September 30. Residents with an odd street address are allowed non-essential water use on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday while residents with a even street address are allowed non-essential water use on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Water use is allowed before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m.
No outside water use is permitted on Monday to allow the department, which is drawing water from the city’s well system to recharge the holding tanks which pressurize the water distribution system.
