Riverdale is the part of Dedham most closely tied to the Charles River. The Town Clerk describes it as "completely surrounded" by the river and reached by crossing several bridges. That geography makes water the main plumbing topic here, though the records do not say that any particular house has a water problem.
Call (617) 752-0573 if water is already where it should not be.
What Riverdale is, from the Town's records.
Dedham's master plan lists Riverdale as one of six neighborhoods. It covers about 1,064 acres and roughly 1,560 housing units, which works out to about 1.5 homes per acre, the second lowest density in town after West Dedham. The Town Clerk says it was farmland and has a lot of waterfront property.
The plan also describes the Long Ditch, a canal dug in the 1650s, crossing the northern edge of the peninsula. Riverdale School and a Town parcel next to Cutler Park, a state reservation shared with Needham, Newton and Boston, are named as local features. The plan publishes no boundary line, so this page does not draw one.
The flood plain, in plain terms.
About 19 percent of Dedham's land lies in the Town's Flood Plain Overlay District, and the master plan says the largest portion is in Riverdale. That is a zoning overlay based on federal flood maps. It tells you where building rules are stricter. It does not tell you whether your own basement has taken on water.
To see how a specific address is mapped, ask the Town's building or conservation staff instead of guessing from the neighborhood name. Ask your insurer separately what your policy covers, since flood and sewer backup are often handled differently from a standard homeowners policy.
Sump pump not keeping up or a drain backing up in Riverdale? Call now.
Call (617) 752-0573Sump pumps, basements and sewer backups.
- Test the pump before heavy rain by pouring water into the pit until the float lifts it..
- Check that the discharge line goes outside and is not frozen or blocked..
- Consider a battery backup for power outages, which usually come with storms..
- Never route a sump pump or roof drain into the sanitary sewer. The Town says clean water in the sewer is illegal..
- If a floor drain rises during a storm, stop running water and call..
If a pump fails or keeps cycling, sump pump repair covers the pump and discharge. For water coming through walls or the slab, see basement waterproofing. Neighboring Needham shares the river and the Cutler Park edge, and we also serve Needham.
Other plumbing help in Riverdale.
A sewer camera inspection shows the real condition of a line after a backup or before you buy. Leak detection finds a hidden supply leak when the meter keeps moving with everything off. Sewer line cleaning clears a main that backs up to the lowest drain.
What to do while you wait.
Shut off power to wet areas only if you can reach the panel from dry ground. Stay out of standing water, keep children and pets away from sewage, and photograph the damage. Ask what the plumber can do and when, and ask for their Massachusetts license type and number. The home page lists every Dedham neighborhood page.
Frequently asked questions.
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The records here say Riverdale holds the largest share of Dedham's flood plain overlay. They do not say how often any street or house floods. Check the Town's mapping for your address.
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No source reviewed says so. Whether you need a pump depends on your basement and water table, and a plumber can assess it. If you have one, the discharge cannot go into the sanitary sewer.
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If neighbors are affected too, call the Town because it maintains the sanitary sewer. If it is only your house, a plumber can clear and camera your own line.
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Yes. Riverdale is a neighborhood of the Town of Dedham, not a separate town.
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The Dedham-Westwood Water District reports average hardness near 6 grains per gallon, moderately hard. A tank that is several years old can build scale. A plumber can check it during service.
Where these facts come from.
Local facts on this page come from the sources below and were checked in November 2026. The page does not state neighborhood boundaries, because the sources do not publish them.
Codes, standards and sources.
Plumbing work in Massachusetts is governed by 248 CMR 10.00, the Uniform State Plumbing Code, and plumbers are licensed by the Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters. You can read the state's consumer fact sheet on plumbers and gas fitters before you hire anyone.
Local facts on this page come from the Dedham-Westwood Water District, the Town of Dedham, the other towns named and Mass.gov, and were checked in October 2026. Where a fact could not be confirmed, the page says to ask the utility or the town.