Hello again,
As construction progresses into residential areas more and more people are becoming aware of and possibly worried about the presence of the construction personnel. Unfortunately there will be some inconveniences with road closures and construction equipment that some may consider unsightly. I'm sorry to say this is just the nature of construction. Hopefully this post can help to limit the number and severity of any inconveniences and make the everyone aware of any that are unavoidable.
The first important point to raise is participation, that is your participation. When you are driving and see traffic control such as barricades or reflective drums they are there for a reason and should not be ignored. There are times when a road may be closed to through traffic and only open to local traffic. This means just what it sounds like, that if you are trying to get through the area you will have to take a different route. We realize this can be a hassle but it is necessary when construction personnel and equipment are moving around the area. If your destination is within the block designated as closed you should still be able to get there, as we try to be conscientious of any driveways (residential or business) and allow access. A good rule of thumb to go by if you are not sure whether or not you can get through is just to stop and ask. This is more respectful than driving over some one's property and, more importantly, much safer.
When construction does enter your neighborhood there is process that is followed. The first thing to be done is clearing any trees or other vegetation out of the right of way. Trees that cannot be saved and need to come down will be removed by a professional tree removal company. The company has experience dealing with tree removal as well as trimming; which they will use to make decisions on whether or not a tree can survive branch and root trimming or if it will have to be removed. The trees and bushes that will be removed will all be on Town owned right of way and will not be replaced. This is mostly due to the safety issues having trees in close proximity to the road can cause. After clearing is complete the pipe crew will make its way down your block. They typically get 200-300 linear feet of pipe in a day, just to give you an estimated time frame for how long they will be on your block. Once all the water main in a section is installed it will be pressure tested. Once it passes the test the water services themselves will be installed from the water main to the right of way limit. Finally after all of this work is done a restoration crew will come through. This crew will restore topsoil, plant grass seed, patch driveways removed, and replace any other asphalt or concrete that was removed or damaged. Once this is done that should be all for the construction on your block; at this point you can breathe a sigh of relief.
A common question I have been receiving from residents is, "What's the next step once I've paid my sign up deposit?" Well, after the main is installed on your block everyone who is signed up for water will recieve a wooden stake with blue markings in their yards and a letter like whats below on their door.
As the letter says, you can move your service for your convenience but we ask that you do it with our help to make sure it stays in a reasonable place. It will be best to know your well location at this point, as in most cases your water service will enter your home at the same location as your well used to. If you are not sure and would like some guidance a local excavator or plumber may be able to help.
Once the service for your home has been installed to the right of way you will be responsible for the connection from there to inside. We are currently in the process of choosing a water meter manufacturer and model to use; once one is chosen all users will have to use the same meter and meeter pit.
That's all for now. Thank you again for your interest. My next post will be an update to the schedule map showing the progress that has been made since it was originally posted, so be sure to check back soon.
The way it works is rather simple. The main to be tested is
filled with water and air is expelled by opening hydrants along the way. Once
the pipe is completely filled with water from a clean well and almost all of
the air is out then the contractor connects a hydrostatic pump to the main. The
hydrostatic pump will bring the pressure of the entire line up to the test
pressure which in our case is 100 pounds per square inch. This test pressure is
roughly two times the system working pressure of 50 PSI. The pump is turned off
and the main is held at test pressure for a period of two hours. Because it is
almost impossible to get 100% of the air out of a water main the pressure will
begin to lower slightly, as seen in the picture. These minor losses are
expected, and they are the result of the remaining air trapped in the main,
temperature differences, minute movement of the pipe itself and other very
miniscule factors. The minor losses do not necessarily indicate a leak, but we
have to be sure. There are specifications that lay out (based on hypothesis and
empirical data) which draw a line, so to speak, between acceptable and
unacceptable pressure losses. After the two hours have passed and there has
been a drop in pressure the contractor has to pump the main back up to 100 PSI.
The specifications (in our case American Water Works Association, AWWA, C605)
outline an allowable amount of water to be used to return the line being tested
to the original pressure. This make up water typically amounts to 1 to 2
gallons depending on the length and diameter of the line being tested. Should
they go over the allowable amount the test fails and the contractor is
responsible for correcting the issue. It is common for a line to initially fail
a pressure test but pass on a subsequent attempt. This is most commonly the
result of excess air in the main. Though quite rare, on occasion a leak can be
found; the cause of the leak could be any number of things, be it material
issues or improper instillation or something else altogether. 
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