Mock Proposal for Water Main and Hydrant Rehabilitation

Prepared By: The Falmouth Whisper/Whisper Networks LLC in conjunction with Four Leaf Innovations LLC.

Public Safety Oversight Project

Date: August 19, 2025

SECTION 1: Executive Summary

This proposal presents a clear, actionable, and fully itemized plan to repair and modernize Falmouth’s critical fire safety infrastructure, from dead hydrants to failing mains, across all phases and pressure zones. It includes a targeted sub-proposal for the area around Falmouth Elementary, where no working hydrants currently exist.

Contrary to claims that this level of infrastructure overhaul is financially out of reach, this bid provides complete cost breakdowns and demonstrates that with planning and prioritization, the safety of Falmouth residents, especially its children, can be fully protected within a reasonable and actionable budget. Especially with numerous grants that are available.

Due to the ongoing refusal of local officials to act on these well-documented infrastructure failures, The Falmouth Whisper Public Safety Oversight Project is submitting this mock proposal to show just how these issues can be fixed.

Let’s be clear: this is the second time we’ve created professional-grade infrastructure materials, the kind that typically carries a hefty price tag. And once again, we’re giving it freely to the public and the city.

It is something they can take to an engineering firm, combine with a site plan and be ready to roll. Between the amount of time and money that would be wasted to get to this point, it would be foolish at this point for them to deny it. Hey they have had well over a decade though.

SECTION 2: Site Area Breakdown – Falmouth Elementary School

Scope of Work:

Replace 1,200 linear feet of outdated or nonfunctional main

Install 2 fully operational fire hydrants

Perform trenching, backfill, pipe bedding, and asphalt repair

Conduct pressure testing and line flushing

Item (Legend)

Quantity

Unit Cost

Total Cost

8” PVC Water Main (1,200 LF)

1,200 LF

$76.00

$91,200.00

Fire Hydrant Assembly (complete)

2

$4,800.00

$9,600.00

Excavation and Surface Repair Labor

1,200 LF

$25.00

$30,000.00

Asphalt Patch (6 ft trench width)

7,200 SF

$6.50

$46,800.00

Pipe Bedding, Fill, & Compaction

1,200 LF

$10.00

$12,000.00

Pressure Testing and Flushing

1

$800.00

$800.00

Total – Elementary School Zone – $190,400.00

SECTION 3: City-Wide Modernization Estimate

Estimated Total Pipe Footage: 25,000 LF

Estimated Number of Fire Hydrants Needed: 50

Item(Legend)

Quantity

Unit Cost

Total Cost

8” PVC Water Main (25,000 LF)

25,000 LF

$76.00

$1,900,000.00

Fire Hydrant Assembly (complete)

50 Hydrants

$4,800.00

$240,000.00

Excavation and Surface Repair Labor

25,000 LF

$25.00

$625,000.00

Asphalt Patch (6 ft trench width)

150,000 SF

$6.50

$975,000.00

Pipe Bedding, Fill, & Compaction

25,000 LF

$10.00

$250,000.00

Pressure Testing (per 5,000 LF zone)

5

$800.00

$4,000.00

Project Management & Coordination

Lump Sum

$25,000.00

$25,000.00

Total – Full Modernization – $4,019,000.00

SECTION 4: Phased Implementation Plan

Phase 1: Emergency Zones

Elementary School

Known inoperable hydrants (est. 14 units)

Estimated Cost: ~$350,000

Phase 2: Pressure Deficient Areas

Zones with hydrants under 20 PSI or <500 GPM

Estimated Cost: ~$800,000

Phase 3: Full City Upgrade

Replace all legacy piping and hydrants

Estimated Cost: ~$2.8 million

SECTION 5: Materials, Labor, and Scope Notes

-Pipe material: 8” PVC SDR-35, rated for municipal systems

-Excavation includes trenching by trackhoe or mini-excavator to a depth of 48″

-Pipe bedding and fill include 4″ gravel bedding and compacted backfill to surface

-Asphalt patch assumes 6-foot wide cut over entire trench length, 2-inch compacted overlay

-Labor includes crew of 4 workers plus operator, $25/foot all-in average

-Fire hydrants include valve, riser, thrust block, bonnet, nozzle caps, and signage

-Pressure testing meets AWWA C600 standards

Costs reflect local and regional industry averages as of August 2025

SECTION 6: Timeline Estimate

Phase

Duration Estimate

Phase 1

3–4 weeks

Phase 2

6–8 weeks

Phase 3

12–16 weeks

Total

6 months total

SECTION 7: Summary and Conclusion

For a total estimated investment of just over $4 million, over time, Falmouth could fully modernize its water and fire protection infrastructure. For under the price of a house, the elementary school could be protected. The whole town project could be scaled to work around funding.

(One of our viewers incidentally recommend in the meantime they should install a dry hydrant at southern elementary. This is from a fire fighter with 15 years experience.)

This proposal demonstrates that these upgrades are achievable, quantifiable, and most importantly, life-saving.

There is no longer a justification to claim this cannot be done. The numbers are clear. The infrastructure can be rebuilt. The safety of our children and citizens can be secured. To every official in Falmouth, your silence on the hydrant infrastructure issue will no longer be tolerated or written off. It will be documented and placed as a footnote on a future law suit.

Failure to act is no longer financial. It is moral.

Tune in tomorrow also, because tomorrow on Wednesday August 20, 2025 we will actually write the mock grant for this project. Good enough to submit if the city is brave enough.

We have already dedicated months to pointing out these issues, so if they have not answered or shown interest by Friday. We will call on any non profit in the Falmouth area that is willing to put their name on this grant application and be the steward of the funds.

It is well within the law that any non profit can except federal funds for these infrastructure upgrades. We would be happy to manage the project in conjunction with the non-profit and the city to facilitate this project.

At that point if the city is unwilling, they can be sued for their inaction. Believe me we will find the right lawyer.

We no longer hold confidence in the officials tasked with protecting this city. If they refuse to confront a public safety failure of this magnitude, we will.

Prepared and Published by:

The Falmouth Whisper Public Safety Oversight Project