INFRASTRUCTURE

Under the leadership of DPW Director Steve Calla, Winthrop has taken an aggressive and forward-thinking approach to addressing long-overdue infrastructure improvements. More than two decades ago, for a variety of reasons, much of our infrastructure was neglected. However, over the past 15 years, we have made significant strides to correct that.

To date, we have replaced more than 9 miles of water main in key areas throughout town, including Walden, Ingleside Park, the Center Business District, Nahant, Bellevue, Somerset, Lincoln, Read, Seaview, Woodside, Plummer, Cottage, Dix, Prospect, Crystal Cove, Payson, Harvard, Main, and other streets. In addition, approximately 3 miles of sewer lines have been replaced in areas such as Bartlett, Main, Revere, Crest, Palmyra, Crescent, Hutchinson, Governors Drive, and Pearl. We’ve also completed 4 miles of drainage improvements and replaced more than 750 lead service lines.

Winthrop maintains approximately 46 miles of water mains and about 35 miles of sewer and drainage infrastructure. I take the responsibility of maintaining and modernizing this system seriously and remain committed to being aggressive in our approach—while also being mindful of the impact on ratepayers. Thanks to Director Calla’s capable leadership, we are steadily bringing our infrastructure into the 21st century.

Importantly, our efforts have already yielded measurable results, including a reduction in unaccounted-for water loss from 22% to approximately 14–15%, placing us well below the state average. There is still work to be done, and I intend to continue leading proactively on this critical issue.