To the Editor:

It is important that the WSA protect the public health and safety of the citizens of Newtown.  The avowed purpose behind limiting sewer hook-ups was not to encourage the development of future large-scale multifamily complexes. The agreement between the town and the state to sell gallonage to each other provides flexibility to deal with a sewer abatement need only – not to promote further development.  With limited capacity, the WSA needs to carefully protect and hold onto its gallonage capacity – just in case, there is a future need to abate failing septic systems that may occur in the ten houses up Walnut Tree Hill Road and the 20-plus houses on Evergreen Road.

The initial proposal from 79 Church Hill Road, LLC, presented to the WSA leaves “unclear” the number of housing units (which can go as high as 350) and is designed to secure preliminary approval to the developer from the WSA before they begin to move forward to other land-use agencies. However, in reality, any large-scale, multifamily development goes against the intended sewer-use agreement of environmental protection for purposes of sewer abatement in order to protect the public health and safety of the citizens of Newtown.

The WSA needs to remain steadfast to its original purpose and principles and protect our community from unnecessary and environmentally-damaging development in an area that had already been designated as at significant risk for sewer abatement and groundwater pollution, even before the Walnut Tree Village 212-units and the Edona Commons 26-units (Dauti) were allowed to hook-up.  When is enough, enough?

Mary E. Burnham

24 Walnut Tree Hill Road, Sandy Hook      February 24, 2015