About DPW

public works employees doing street work, driving heavy equipment, plowing

Needham's Department of Public Works consists of nine different divisions. There are six operations divisions (Building Maintenance, Highway, Parks & Forestry, Recycling & Solid Waste, Water, and Sewer) and three support divisions (Administration, Engineering, and Fleet), which provide support services to all of the operations divisions. Needham DPW strives to maintain and improve the built environment so that Needham continues to be a healthy, safe, and enjoyable place to live. The built environment refers to the roads, bridges, sidewalks, sewer systems, water systems, stormwater infrastructure, trash disposal, recycling, parks, trees, fields, and all School and Town buildings. DPW is preparing to thrive by 2025, creating institutional systems to provide continuity and innovation. 

The Administration Division aims to provide clear and consistent administrative support to the operations divisions of DPW. The Building Maintenance Division aims to provide reliable, consistent, effective operations of the buildings, ensuring comfort for all occupants. The Engineering Division aims to continue making Needham a welcoming environment. The Fleet Division aims to provide green, elite, vehicle servicing. The Highway Division aims to construct surface infrastructure in an all-inclusive, multimodal manner. The Parks & Forestry Division aims to maintain the “front yard of Needham” as welcoming, safe, accessible, and aesthetically pleasing. The Recycling & Solid Waste Division aims to keep Needham clean and green by providing efficient, safe, sustainable, progressive, and practical solid waste disposal and recycling. The Water Division aims to maintain the infrastructure associated with the Town's water delivery system and the development and production of the water supply in the Charles River Well Field and supplemental water from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA). The Sewer Division aims to maintain the Sanitary Sewer and Storm Sewer systems (Drains) and all related programs and infrastructure.