Fw: RE: Elm Street Sewage Report--re-sending

[jlau...@comcast.net]

Some people mentioned not receiving this earlier.

_________________
Josiah Lee Auspitz
17 Chapel Street 

Somerville, MA 02144 

Landline phone: 617-628-6228 fax: 617-628-9441

Phones do not receive text messages

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From: JOSIAH AUSPITZ <jlau...@comcast.net>
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2026 9:40 AM
To: Davis Square Neighborhood Council <daviss...@gmail.com>
Subject: Fwd: RE: Elm Street Sewage Report

 

All,

 

Herewith a recent report on Elm Street sewer infrastructure, courtesy of Kevin Roche and the City Engineering Dept.  Note that there are two segments evaluated as "fair"-- likely to need attention in 10-20 years. I shall also forward a similar Orchard Street report.

 

Lee Auspitz

---------- Original Message ----------

From: Kevin Roche <kro...@somervillema.gov>

To: "jlau...@comcast.net" <jlau...@comcast.net>

Cc: Public Records <public...@somervillema.gov>, Elaine Almquist <elaine....@gmail.com>, Brian Postlewaite <bpostl...@somervillema.gov>

Date: 01/21/2026 2:44 PM EST

Subject: RE: Elm Street Sewage Report

 

 

Lee,

 

National Water Main Cleaning Co. conducted light/heavy cleaning and re-inspection of the brick combined sewer main in Elm Street in June 2025. See attached inspection reports. You may notice that some of the asset ID numbers in these reports do not line up perfectly with the ones that I sent you in 2021. Some of the asset ID’s were misnamed in the field reports this summer when the contractor created the logs. For this reason, I used location identifiers below rather than the GIS asset IDs like last time. Inspection Report 1 begins in the Day Street intersection and proceeds southeast. Note: CSMH = combined sewer manhole.

 

• Inspection Report 1: from CSMH in front of Oath Pizza to CSMH in crosswalk between the Burren and Genki Ya.
• Inspection Report 2: from Inspection Report 1 terminus to a buried structure 50’ southeasterly, near crosswalk between H Mart and Martsa.
• Inspection Report 3: from Inspection Report 2 terminus to a buried structure 220’ southeasterly, near crosswalk between Dragon Pizza and Goodwill.
• Inspection Report 4: from Inspection Report 3 terminus to CSMH visible at grade 20’ southeasterly near Liquor Hub.
• Inspection Report 5: from Inspection Report 4 terminus to CSMH in Russell Street intersection.

 

You may note that the 2025 cleaning and inspecting effort in Elm Street was more successful than the previous one. This project was able to provide a full length inspection of the Elm Street brick combined sewer from Day Street to Russell Street. Please see below for a condition summary based on the PACP Rating Description and Overall Pipe Rating provided in each report.

 

• Inspection Report 1: Fair Condition.
• Inspection Report 2: Good Condition.
• Inspection Report 3: Good Condition.
• Inspection Report 4: Excellent Condition
• Inspection Report 5: Fair Condition.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions. I will follow up this email with the Orchard Street data request.

 

Thanks,

 

Kevin Roche, PE (MA)

Deputy Director of Engineering Services

City of Somerville

Department of Infrastructure and Asset Management

1 Franey Road

Somerville, MA 02144

(617) 625-6600 x5417

 

 

 

From: jlau...@comcast.net <jlau...@comcast.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2026 12:39 PM
To: Kevin Roche <kro...@somervillema.gov>
Cc: Public Records <public...@somervillema.gov>; Elaine Almquist <elaine....@gmail.com>
Subject: Elm Street Sewage Report

 

This email is from an external source. Use caution responding to it, opening attachments or clicking links.

 

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Kevin,

 

When you kindly responded to a public records request last April/May, you mentioned that a full report on Elm Street sewage would probably be completed in 2025.  If this is now available, I would appreciate having it at your earliest convenience to share with the Davis Square community.

 

As you may know, the City is in the midst of a 30-day countdown for a Section 40B waiver of local zoning for a proposed 26-story mixed use residential tower along the stretch of Elm Street to Grove that was to be covered by the 2024-25 sewage study.  So an expedited response would be appropriate.

 

Many thanks,

 

Lee

 

PS I understand that there is also a report on Orchard Street sewage work. A link to that might provide further context, provided that it would not delay the Elm/Grove St report.  jla

_________________
Josiah Lee Auspitz
17 Chapel Street 

Somerville, MA 02144 

Landline phone: 617-628-6228 fax: 617-628-9441

Phones do not receive text messages

 
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