DPW Responsibilities

The Highway Department maintains all public ways and several private ways totaling approximately 134 miles. All public sidewalks, approximately 950 catch basins, all culverts and drains, street and traffic signs, painting of cross walks and center lines, all town bridges and town owned dams, and tree removal.

The Water Department maintains the town’s distribution system, which comprises of approximately 70 miles of water mains, 2100 water services, hundreds of fire hydrants, two water booster stations, and two 1 million gallon water storage tanks. The water department reads and maintains 2100 water meters twice a year, collects all water samples required by DEP and EPA. Samples include asbestos, chlorine, haloacetic acids, lead and copper, nitrates, nitrites synthetic organic compounds, trihalomethanes, total organic carbon, turbidity and volatile organic compounds. The town’s water treatment plant in Ashburnham is operated by U.S. Filter under a contract with the Winchendon Ashburnham Joint water authority.

The Sewer Department is made up of the same employees as the Water Department. They maintain the town's sanitary collection system. They maintain the many miles of sewer mains, hundreds of sewer manholes, two sewer pumping stations as well as about 1200 connections to the system.

The Cemetery Department maintains the three town owned cemeteries: Riverside, New Boston and Old Centre. They also maintain all town owned parks. They conduct all burials, repair graves, plant flowers, trim shrubs, mow and trim over 100 acres of cemeteries and parks.

The Fleet Maintenance Department is responsible for the maintenance of all town vehicles and machinery including Police, Fire, DPW, CAC, COA, Schools, Transfer Station, Wastewater Treatment Plant, Cemeteries and Parks and Civil Defense.

The Solid Waste Department operates the town's transfer station. They monitor all wastes and waste ban recyclables that enter the facility, check for stickers, collect fees for charged items, transport waste and recyclables and maintain records of all items deposited and monitor and mow the closed landfill.

The Wastewater Treatment Plant operates the facility for the treatment and discharge of the town’s wastewater in compliance with the U.S. EPA and DEP regulations. They maintain all the equipment at the plant as well as the buildings, structures and grounds. They generate and submit all the required reports to both the state and federal government.