What Does The Department of Public Works Do?

Most people probably wonder what the Department of Public Works (DPW) does for their community. If you're a Northbridge resident who wants to know more about the public works department in Northbridge, then you've come to the right place.

To start with, just what is it that makes up the Department of Public Works?

*32 pieces of highway and construction equipment, including a backhoe, front end loader,  a road sweeper, dump trucks, pick up trucks, sidewalk plows and tractors, lawn tractors and mowers, and all the related hand tools that make getting our work done possible.

*81 Miles of road, with the related guardrails, road striping, street lights, curbing, signs, trees, pavement, storm water management system, driveway aprons, and, last but certainly not least, our Residents.

*A 2 MGD Waste Water Treatment Plant, 5 pump stations, and 52 miles of sewer mains

*2 Water treatment and supply companies, with 62 miles of water mains and 400 (+-) fire hydrants

Sometimes our efforts are obvious, everyone is familiar with… and loves… seeing the Town’s employees out and about during a snowstorm.  Did you ever wonder however who to call when there is a bee’s nest in the catch basin in front of your house?  When the Town tree in front of your property is starting to rot, leaving you wondering when the next strong wind is coming?  Who do you call when you can no longer see the stop sign, drive around the pot hole,  or locate the cross walk?  What number do you dial when the catch basins are blocked and the street is flooding?  How about when the retention ponds in our sub divisions become overgrown and no longer function as designed?  All of these issues, and countless others, are dealt with daily by the Northbridge Department of Public Works.  Our duties and responsibilities don’t end there, the Highway Division of the DPW is also responsible for the ongoing maintenance and cleaning of the Town Hall, the Whitinsville Library, the Senior Center, the Aldridge Building, and the Highway Division Facility.  We provide maintenance services to the Police and Fire Stations.  We also mow and trim the athletic fields at Balmer School, The Lynnwood and Riverdale fields, Plummers Park, as well as the Town Common’s in both Whitinsville and Rockdale.   While all this is going on, our employees are also mowing the roadsides on approx. 50 miles of road, replacing and repairing signs and rebuilding catch basins, inspecting the construction activities done by contractors working both for the Town, and working within the Town’s right of way on Town construction projects.  Sound like a full day?  We still need to pick up leaf and yard waste in the fall, maintain the Town’s composting facility during the spring, summer, and fall, PLOW SNOW IN THE WINTER, and provide maintenance and repair services to the Town’s trucks and equipment.

The Department of Public Works has a very clear mission when it comes to servicing the community of Northbridge. Our mission statement is “to enhance the quality of life for all residents, businesses and visitors of Northbridge through responsible and sound management, innovation, teamwork, and vision, and to provide dependable, high quality, responsive public works and utility services, at reasonable costs.  Our much simpler and easier to remember motto is “Find it and fix it”.  The Northbridge Department of Public Works will strive to construct, maintain, operate and design public infrastructure in an efficient and effective manner. We will do that so we can protect the public safety as well as enhance the quality of life for people who live in the Town of Northbridge. The Northbridge DPW continues to work at accomplishing these goals set out in their mission statement by focusing on a “Moving Forward” approach, leaving no roads, buildings or opportunities for improvement left behind.