At the end of July, the Dedham-Westwood Water District’s contractor, Primetime Development, started installing a new section of water main on a portion of Schoolmaster Lane between 100 Schoolmaster Lane and Country Club Road.

The project consists of installing 1,325 linear feet of new water main, connecting it to the existing water mains at each end, installing fire hydrants and valves, and constructing new water services to each property within the work limits.

This project was highlighted as a high priority project in the district’s 2020 Capital Improvement Plan and will ultimately provide benefits to both the towns of Dedham and Westwood, as well as to all residents on Schoolmaster Lane by providing:

• Improved Water Quality: Stagnant water is not conducive to providing the best water quality. By connecting the existing water main on Schoolmaster Lane with the water main across the street (on the Dedham Country & Polo Club side), both water mains will no longer be dead-ended, and water quality will improve.
• Better Fire Protection: Hydrant flows increase dramatically when fed from two directions. The Fire Department will have a greater supply of water to fight any fires in the area, thereby reducing risk to all residents on Schoolmaster Lane.
• Redundancy: Looping this water main provides both towns with another main water transmission line on the opposite side of I-95. Currently, all residents on Schoolmaster Lane would have a very limited water supply and fire protection if a water main break were to occur on West Street. This redundancy would be beneficial to commercial buildings that rely on critical water infrastructure, such as Dedham Medical, Hebrew Senior Life, and the Norfolk County Correctional Center.