Mayor Katjana Ballantyne, Ward 4 Councilor Jesse Clingan, and city staff invite you to an open house to learn more about flood relief and water quality improvement efforts planned for Winter Hill, Ten Hills, and the surrounding neighborhood. 

When? Wednesday, November 13, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. 
Where? Mystic Activity Center (530 Mystic Avenue).  

Since our first community meeting in April, the project team has been performing initial field investigations, coordinating with state and federal partners, and developing preliminary designs. 

The open house will feature multiple stations describing different aspects of the project. Drop-in anytime during the event to review the preliminary design, talk with project team members, ask questions, and share your feedback. 

Following the event, information about the preliminary design will also be available on the project website at somervillema.gov/mysticoutfall.   

Other opportunities for community members to share feedback will include an online survey, virtual office hours with city staff (times and dates to come), on-street outreach/tabling, and more. 

More About This Project  

The City of Somerville is making substantial systemwide investments to modernize its sewer and stormwater infrastructure. As part of this effort, the City will be rehabilitating the existing utilities in Winter Hill, Ten Hills, and the neighborhood west of Foss Park. To support stormwater management in this area and beyond, the City is also installing new drainage infrastructure and constructing a new stormwater outfall pipe that will discharge to the Mystic River. This project will reduce flood risk in the surrounding area and help maintain the water quality of local rivers.  

In addition to the underground utility improvements, this project will also include street safety improvements and green infrastructure (drainage features designed to mimic natural processes such as irrigated planting areas, bioretention basins with select soils and plants that catch and filter stormwater, new trees, etc.) throughout the neighborhood.  This project is one of a series of actions the City is undertaking to reduce water pollution, address flooding, and modernize Somerville’s infrastructure. 

Final design is anticipated to be complete during 2025. All schedules are preliminary and subject to change. Construction will follow design and is tentatively expected to be in 2026.