Hillside Street runs along the lower slope of the Blue Hills in the southern part of Milton, through the area known as Scott's Woods. The Town calls Scott's Woods a rural residential enclave, and listing sites say many yards open to forest and trails. That setting raises practical questions about sewers, drainage and distance.
Start with leak detection if the water bill jumps, or a sump pump check if the basement is damp.
Questions to settle before a plumbing visit on Hillside Street
The answers are not on any public map we found, so only you or the Town can supply them.
- Ask Milton Water and Sewer whether your address connects to the public sewer.
- Ask where your water service line meets the curb stop valve, since you maintain the line from there to the house.
- Find out whether a past owner added a sump pump or pit.
- Note whether water pressure changes between floors.
- Write down the water heater's age from its label.
What is documented about Scott's Woods
According to its National Register entry, the Scott's Woods Historic District covers about 122 acres of hilly ground between Randolph Avenue, which is Route 28, and the edge of the Blue Hills Reservation. Its buildings date from the eighteenth century to the early twentieth, and two mid-eighteenth-century houses survive.
Hillside Street is the main road, with Harland and Forest streets also inside the district. After World War I, former estates were divided for homes. For you, houses of very different ages can stand on one street, and an old house may have had many rounds of repairs. Ask what has been replaced rather than guess.
General information about hillside homes
On a slope, water runs toward low spots, so basements on the downhill side can get damp after heavy rain. Water pressure can also vary with elevation and with the length of the service line. These are general facts and not findings about Hillside Street. A plumber can test pressure with a gauge on an outdoor spigot, and a sump pump with a battery backup helps if a storm also cuts power.
Plumbing question in Hillside Street?
Call and describe what you see to a plumber.
What we could not confirm
We did not find which Hillside Street addresses are on the public sewer, how old the water mains are, or how often basements flood. The Town's flood list names Central Avenue, Granite Avenue and Brook Road, not Hillside Street.
Listing sites describe Cape Cods, Colonial Revivals and New Englanders from the early 1800s to the mid 1900s, which is a sales description and not a pipe survey. For service lines, call Milton Water and Sewer at 617-696-5731. Randolph lies south along Route 28, and the Milton plumbing page covers the rest of town. If the heater is the issue, see water heater replacement.
Questions from Hillside Street homeowners
We could not confirm that from any published source, and it may differ by address. Call Milton Water and Sewer at 617-696-5731 with your street number and ask which connection serves your property. Once you know, a plumber can plan any sewer work around the right setup.
We found no source saying so. The Massachusetts Uniform State Plumbing Code, 248 CMR 10.00, applies to every house, including a permit for replacing or relocating piping. If a job would change the outside of the house, such as a new vent, ask the Milton building department first.
Height, a long service line, a partly closed valve or corroded supply pipe can all lower pressure. A gauge on an outdoor spigot gives a real reading, and a plumber can then trace the cause. Rusty water or repeated leaks point toward worn pipe.
Check whether a pit and pump exist, whether the float moves freely, and whether water leaves through a discharge line that points away from the house. A stuck float or failed check valve is common. If there is no pump at all, a sump pump installation is the usual answer.
Milton addresses are covered, including Hillside Street. No arrival time is promised, because it depends on the roads and where the plumber is. The dispatcher tells you what to expect for your address. Mention any steep driveway.
Question about your street? Call and ask.
(617) 752-0573