Major Water Main Project Planned For Route 28

HARWICH – A major watermain upgrade is planned along Route 28 from just west of the Herring River to South Street in Harwich Port.

The water/wastewater commission held an informational session this week alerting businesses and residents along that stretch of road of possible disruptions and traffic delays that could result from the project.  

“It’s a large project that could take quite a bit of time, a couple of years,” said Water/Wastewater Superintendent Jason Trepanier at last Wednesday’s meeting. The project is scheduled to start in September. 

Once the bids are open in late July or early August, the department will communicate with businesses and residents by mail providing more specifics, such as detours and what side streets will be closed, said Water/Wastewater Commission Chair Noreen Donahue. The commission will also conduct a community meeting closer to the start of the project to notify people of the specifics and get feedback on the plans, she said. 

Bob Drake, a project director with the town’s consultants, GHD, Inc., said the project will be done on the south side of Route 28, about two to five feet off the curb. He estimated that the work should move at about 100 feet each day, so disruptions to a business or residence should last only a day. Drake said there will be an engineer onsite who can assist with deliveries or accommodate people with medical conditions that need to move through the area.

There will be traffic impacts, according to Drake. There will likely be one lane open alternating traffic passage during the construction, he said.

The project, which will install a new 12-inch water main, will start on the west side of the Herring River at Riverside Drive. When the road work reaches the Herring River, a directional drill will be used to install the main between 15 to 20 feet beneath the river then back up to the road.   

Drake said there will be no disruption of water service during the work. The existing mains will remain in place and provide water to residences and businesses, he said. The hope is that with good weather conditions, it will take less than two years to complete the work, he said. 

The conservation commission approved the plan a month ago. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will also have to approve the work taking place on the state highway in the next couple of months, then the work can be put out to bid. The department wants to get this work done as soon as possible, because there are a couple of additional projects planned for the area. Drake said the town will be paving the parking lot at the east side of the Herring River, and in 2026 MassDOT will be resurfacing Route 28 from the Herring River to the Dennis town line. That project will also include the installation of water mains. 

“It’s obviously a big deal,” said Donahue, adding the water/wastewater commission will be keeping businesses and residents informed as more information becomes available.

Trepanier said anyone who has additional questions about the project can contact him at the water/wastewater department at 508-432-0304.