I have discussed West Falmouth sewer issues with Falmouth representatives since 2018, because the sewer line would go in front of my home.
I presented issues of constructing the sewer through The Woodlands to town officials, but I continue to believe that they underestimate the difficulty and risks of constructing a second sewer line through an area with all underground utilities. The proposed sewer system would cross these utility and sewer lines 78 times. The current Woodlands sewer also services the Falmouth school system and homes as far away as Falmouth Country Club, so damage to the current sewer line would be catastrophic.
The 2017, West Falmouth Master Sewer Plan recommended the upgrade of Falmouth Road pump station and installation of a new force main sewer line from Falmouth Road pump station through the Central Maine Power corridor behind the schools, continuing across Woodville Road through the CMP corridor between Woodville and Woods Road. A year later, the town decided not to follow the recommendation, but to instead construct the bypass force main sewer line through The Woodlands neighborhood.
On March 13, 2020, Wright-Pierce presented cost estimates for four routes that showed The Woodlands route was the cheapest. However, the CMP easement route included a $379,000 access road that was not necessary. The Woodlands Homeowners Association hired an engineering firm to analyze the town’s cost estimates for the four routes and they concluded the road was unnecessary and that the CMP route was the least costly route. No such expensive road exists on the CMP sewer line from the Falmouth Road pump station to Woodville Road.
The town has refused to listen to reason and is pursuing a more costly and risker solution to service the West Falmouth developments. Woodlands’ residents will continue to fight this effort!
James L. Solley
Falmouth
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