Date: Fri 02-May-1997

By ANDY GOROSKO

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

WPCA-sewer-regulations

Full Text:

WPCA Works On Regulations for Sewer System

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) members are fashioning a set of

regulations for operating the municipal sewer system now under construction.

Also, town officials are interviewing management firms who want to operate the

sewer system for the town.

The sewer regulations, which are in their formative stages, will be based on a

set of model regulations promulgated by the US Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA), Fred Hurley, town public works director, said Monday.

The regulations' continuing development follows rounds of comments made by

town officials and consultants on refining the operational rules.

In creating the regulations, the town seeks to anticipate issues that will

arise in running the sewer system, according to Mr Hurley. The sewer system

will cleanse wastewater from connected homes and businesses at Taunton Pond

North, the Borough, and Sandy Hook Center.

The regulations will address issues such as: sewer system hook-up fees; how

the sewer system may be expanded to handle wastewater discharged by new

residential development; how the regulations can be amended; and how the

system will be maintained.

In developing a set of regulations, local officials have reviewed existing

sewer regulations used by other towns, according to Mr Hurley.

Many technical appendices will be attached to the regulations, he said. Also,

the regulations will contain definitions of terms used in the document, he

said.

Currently, the proposed regulations are "strictly in review," according to Mr

Hurley. After further refinements are made, a "working document," will be

developed from which an eventual set of finished regulations will be written

and adopted, he said.

The WPCA will use the regulations to govern sewer system operation, much like

the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) uses its subdivision regulations to

govern development and its zoning regulations to control specific land uses.

The town is under a state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)

pollution abatement order to rectify longstanding pollution problems posed by

groundwater contamination due to failing septic systems. A $34.3-million sewer

system approved by voters in 1992 is being built to resolve the pollution

problems. The municipal sewage treatment plant is scheduled to be completed in

September. About half the sewer system's capital costs will be covered locally

through users' payments and general property taxation, with the remainder

covered by state and federal grants.

Management Firms

Mr Hurley said the town is continuing to interview firms that want to operate

the sewer system for the town.

"This is the beginning of a new business," Mr Hurley said of the sewer system.

Town officials want to hire a management company to run the system which has

21 miles of sewer collection lines.

The town has been interviewing private firms capable of operating,

maintaining, and administering the system. Discussions have focused on how

each firm would run the system, their business plans, staffing, and costs for

providing various services.

Mr Hurley said town officials plan to winnow down the seven firms under

consideration to a smaller number in making a selection.

Running the system will involve operating the sewage treatment plant now being

built at the end of Commerce Road, operating four sewage pumping stations, and

maintaining the network of sewage collection lines in the Borough, Sandy Hook

Center, and Taunton Pond North.

As public works director, Mr Hurley will oversee the contract between the

sewer system management firm and the town. The initial term of the contract is

expected to be five years, with possible renewal options.

The WPCA will recommend a firm to run the sewer system to the town's

Purchasing Authority.

Firms which responded to the town's request for qualifications to run the

sewer system included: OMI, Inc, of Greenwood Village, Colorado; Earth Tech,

Inc, of Glastonbury; PSG of Houston, Texas; ST Environmental Services, Inc, of

Glen Cove, N.Y.; United Water of Harrington Park, N.J.; Weston and Sampson

Services, Inc, of Peabody, Massachusetts; Wheelabrator EOS, Inc, of North

Andover, Massachusetts; and Woodward and Curran of Dedham, Massachusetts.

The treatment plant now being built at the end of Commerce Road will be highly

automated. The facility will be unattended at nights and on weekends. An

estimated five to seven people would work there with probably no more than

five people working there at any one time, according to Mr Hurley.

Telemetry equipment will transmit information on the operation of four sewage

pumping stations and the sewage plant to a central computer. Computers will be

used to automatically regulate the sewer system's operations. If major

operational problems arise, alarms would sound and automatic telephone calls

would be made to alert staffers.

Track And Field Teams Compete At Masuk

‘Color Our World With Hope’ Filled Newtown With Music, Meaning, And Community Impact

Nighthawk Baseball Team Beats Conference Opponents

Late Goal By Ruddy Lifts Nighthawk Lacrosse Team To Victory, Showcases Chemistry In Midfield

Reed Intermediate Presents Sold-Out Performances Of 'Willy Wonka Jr'

Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Date: Fri 02-May-1997

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