001We'll call tonight's special meeting to order. Um, guess we have a presentation and we have a couple new business items potentially to take care of. So, I imagine is there anything you would like to say before we get into the presentation? >> No, I'm going to let Joe and his team uh do all the talking in terms of the presentation, but um yeah, I think it's pretty pretty straightforward. Um, they've got a lot of they got the PowerPoint, they got the boards and and uh three items to talk about. So, I think just jump right in. Well, thank you for being here. I'll turn it over to Joe. You want to start? >> So, as you guys may recall, I don't know, maybe about 17 months ago. Um, is that about right? >> So, we
002came before you and told you that we were going to do this facilities plan, and we were going to look at everything in the town that had to do with wastewater, the collection system, pump stations, treatment plant, and we're coming to an end of that now. Um, so we have our engineers here to go over some of the highlights of that facilities plan. um specifically where the system stands and what we may be having what we may have to look at moving forward. So I'm going to turn it over to Tyan Barnes, Steve and Allen and they're going to run the show for now. >> Thank you Joe and thank you folks for having us tonight. It's a pleasure to be here again. As Joe mentioned, we were here 17 months ago at the start
003of the program and it's been a busy 17 months. Some of you may have noticed trucks uh that had done sewer investigations for a period of time and a lot of activity frankly and uh this is kind of the culmination of that effort. We've worked closely with town staff. >> Hold on one second. You guys having trouble hearing? >> Yes, >> we hear nothing. >> Yeah, we don't hear anything. >> It's on. >> Test test. Is that better? >> Okay. >> Thank you. Thanks. >> Thank you. Yeah, I I'll do a quick recap. So again, uh 17 months ago, we were here, as Joe pointed out, we've been working over that period of time to investigate the entire wastewater infrastructure. We prepared a somewhat brief presentation, I think, that will capture the highlights of our
004approach and what we've concluded during the course of the investigations. So I will start the PowerPoint presentation and we've put together an an agenda that again highlights the the goals for tonight's meeting at least the goals we're hoping to accomplish. Uh to present the purpose of the plan. Uh the you'll hear about population projections and flows because that's a key element. This plan is intended to evaluate the needs over the next 20-year period. That's a uh goal set by the Connecticut Deep because wastewater infrastructure is expensive as you well know and it generally lasts at least 20 years. So the idea is to come up with a plan that will uh serve the town's needs for that period. Uh we'll we've evaluated the various forms of infrastructure that is the pumping stations, the treatment plant
005and the sewers and now we'll talk at some length about those findings and conclusions. We've put together at the end of our presentation a five-year plan that identifies the key issues that we think were highlighted as a result of this study that we'd like to bring to your attention and discuss. And lastly, uh Joe will present the sewer service area map. And a sewer service area map is different than a sewer map. Many of you may have seen the town has a sewer map posted on your website and it simply shows where sewers are installed in various streets. But there's a requirement that DEP has that the WPCA approve a specific plan that identifies where where sewers can be um extended and where homes or businesses can be served. It's different than the sewer map
006which the sewer map shows the entire town again with just sewers. This map goes is bounded by properties. It it it's not just a swath of a line that goes across a certain town boundary. It's very specific and again Joe will get into that. Well, that's our agenda. Um we'll start by again just kind of highlighting what the goals were. Um, clearly the goals are to make sure that the the investments that you might make now serve the community for the 20-year period. And we'll we'll show you how we've come up with that. Avoid permit violations. As you probably know, um, every community in Connecticut, actually beyond Connecticut, all communities who have wastewater plants that discharge into public waterways have a permit that's issued. In Connecticut's case, it's issued jointly by the state of Connecticut
007in the US EPA. So, it governs what your facility is allowed to discharge. And so, you, as you'll see, you're at a point where you've exceeded the capacity of your facility in certain areas. And that is uh quite uh a concern because permit violations can can on occasion have had have occurred. And it will be important to make sure that this plan addresses the ability to mitigate or eliminate permit violations because they do carry some consequences. And um lastly again waste given the expense of wastewater infrastructure we looked at developing a phased plan to identify priority needs spread it over five years and in fact we actually have a plan that goes all the way to 20 years but we're going to focus tonight on just the the highest criticality fiveyear needs. actually the slides.
008Okay. So, our key tasks, excuse me, I'll just follow the the screen and put my glasses on. So, the key tasks um is to is to estimate the flows. We're going to go through the methodology and and the meetings we've had with Mark Dau and others to kind of get our arms around what that's what Planeville might look like in terms of a sewer population over the next 20 years and where that growth is expected. Uh we'll evaluate the infrastructure. So one side of the coin is evaluating what the flows are going to look like in 20 years. The other side of the coin is what's the condition and the capacity of the infrastructure to meet that requirement. And then uh lastly identify the limitations where we found them and and what we recommend might
009be the best course forward in a phase plan to address those issues. And with that, um, I am going to turn it over to Al to talk about some of the specifics. >> Thank you, Steve. Try my best to work the microphone and uh, also speak to the presentation. >> And if you want, you can is that podium? >> Yeah, maybe that's easier, honestly. >> You can turn the podium face that way. That might be a little easier. Excellent. How's that? >> Let me just All right. Well, again, my name is Al Wells with Time Bond and uh I'll speak in greater detail about the uh the items that Steve mentioned initially. So, step one was to estimate the population and the flow projections within the sewer service area. Um, obviously our focus was on
010the wastewater infrastructure and what future demands might be expected or anticipated. So, uh, we mentioned a 20-year planning period and, uh, a big piece of this was meeting early on with the town with Mark Dvau and economic development and of course, uh, the sewer staff and, um, everyone just to understand what might happen as best you can with a crystal ball over the 20-year period. And uh then we took that information and then created what flows would result from that growth. So um actually the town planner did an excellent job before he retired uh really breaking it down by by quadrant so to speak in the town of developments that were known or anticipated. So again all that information is rolled into this plan. So, it included plan developments, buildout of key parcels, all vacant
011lots within the sewer service area. I keep stressing that because obviously there sewer avoidance areas that are not included in this. Um, developed unseeded parcels. There were a few of those. Um, and sewer service extensions again within the sewer service area. So taking that we then had a population which is currently 16,000 in the sewer service area over 20 years. Taking all that growth information we calculated a future population of 20,700 and that would be the maximum theoretical buildout in the sewer service area. Um, and I'll get to what flows that results in shortly. Um, while that was going on, we also began evaluating the collection system in its entirety. So, as you probably know, you have 82 miles of gravity sewer, four miles of force main, which is pumped, you know, pipes that are
012under pressure from pump stations and nine pump stations, which collect and convey all the waste water to the water pollution control facility. And an important piece I mean you've got your when you look at flows and estimating flows you obviously have your sanitary waste um and that that's what's shown sort of in blue on this graph is the base wastewater flow but it's usually it's less than half of the flows when they peak at the treatment plant which is kind of interesting. Um but any collection system new or old is always going to have some amount of leakage in it. So groundwater will find its way into manholes and into sewer pipes. Rainfall uh again even though this is not a combined sewer system, it's not designed to do that. But rainfall will find its
013way uh you know into manholes at the surface. Um same thing with storm water inflow. It can there can be potential connections well again not intended but you know there there's potentially illicit connections of a perhaps a drain or something like that that can find its way into the sewer and all of that ends up at the treatment plant. So and during wet weather uh it's can be quite significant. So we had to get our arms around that and understand the extent of the flows that the treatment plant sees so that we could and I'll get into this further basically understand what could we possibly remove and what do we need to accommodate in the most cost-effective way at the treatment plant and even just conveying that flow to the treatment plant. Do we want
014to stop here and answer any questions about what what this shows because again this is an important slide. When we think when we think about base flow for example you can imagine everyone using the showers at 7 in the morning you get quite a spike whereas at 2 in the morning you get very little flow. So even over the course of 24 hours that flow from residential commercial users even industrial in some cases if if all those peaks occur at the same time you can see in that blue curve rising and falling and similarly when you have rain events the the leakage from from um cracks in the pipe as L talk about a minute but also from some pumps you know we don't often think about that. But homes have some pumps and even
015though they're not ideally they're not connected to the sewer system, often times that's the case. And that's why we see the events pile on top of each other during these wet events. >> It it's not unlike most utilities. You know, if you think of water or electricity, you know, you don't use it at a steady rate. So waste water is just on the receiving end of this and it arrives at peak times in peak amounts. and to design improvements to evaluate the existence existing system you need to understand those peak peak amounts. So it was a major part of the study. Um we were out there this time last year I think starting in March >> uh right through Memorial Day collecting flow data to understand this. So uh it was really understanding future growth
016and then understanding existing flows was key to this whole analysis and the variability of existing flows. But I guess any questions on that? >> Just one. Would you were out there last March through May? >> Yep. >> Is this year would this year look significantly different with the amount of snow we've had? >> Great question. Um last year started off kind of dry. Um if you recall, we didn't have much snow and we were waiting. You know, we were out there early in March and it was dry, dry, dry dry and then it hit. You know, May we got really hit with precipitation, which is what we were looking for. You just need a few wet events to understand. This year, uh, snow kind of has like a battery effect. It's sort of storing that
017precipitation. And if we get a nice gentle meltoff, it wouldn't have potentially a significant effect, but if we get a big rainstorm, I mean, Joe can speak to this. Yeah. Look out. You've got the snow melting plus you've got the rain coming. >> Yeah. The ground can only absorb so much water. Um, and if if it melts really fast, it's got to go somewhere else because the ground the ground can't absorb it. I think that this year we will see um a a significant jump in flows. Um I don't consider this a gradual meltdown. I think we're going to have a really good meltdown over the next few days. We had a good meltdown between the two storms. Um so yeah, we're seeing water coming in now. >> Okay. >> But we're not measuring that
018flow. We're not doing anything with that flow other than treating it. >> But we did have great conditions last year in terms I felt like we did a really good job capturing it. I was concerned at first. It's always a little bit of uh you can't control mother nature, but then we had some big events last year, some significant storms, so it gave us a really good handle on those peaks that we were looking for. >> Go ahead. You have a >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, so what you're saying is really the the increase in the the um capacity which is causing it to exceed is mostly rainwater and precipitation and >> not population because our population hasn't grown. >> Yeah. I not mostly but it's I would say it's around half rough numbers
019in terms of when you look at the sort of the dry weather flow versus the wet weather flow and dry weather flow will be mostly sanitary waste some groundwater some uh but then wet weather flow is all of that plus you know the storm water finding its way >> okay >> and the rain into the system but it's they're both significant portions of it >> definitely >> so I just don't understand the increase in the particip the precipitation being 50% when we have not increased our our population. So, but you're saying it's sewer use is increasing >> sewer well sewer use is projected to increase. >> Okay. Um, but I think when I say 50/50, it's even today current conditions. Um, you know, >> dry summer day, flows, everything is good. You know, flows are
020fairly low. You're going to be two something MGD. Right. Right. Joe. >> Yeah. >> 2 million gallons a day. But a wet weather event, it's going to be more than seven and a half. >> Okay. >> But right now, the sanitary sewer flow to the facility does not cause us to to exceed our permit limits. >> Okay. >> That's fine. is when it rains and when the snow melts and any type of an event like that, that's when we're going to exceed. >> Okay. And our allowed capacity is based solely on the size of our plant. >> Yes. When it was when it was originally built, it was it was assigned a number. >> Um and the original assignment was 2.6 million gallons per day. Um >> we have a 3.2 million gallons per day
021or 3.8 million gallons per day permit from the state. Okay. But we exceed that also. Okay. >> So it will take in over upwards close to four million gallons per day and at times we'll have in excess of five or six million gallons per day coming in during those rain events and those snow melts. Right. >> So that's what we have to address. >> All right. Thanks Joe. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> I'll spend a little more time on on the extraneous flows is what I'm calling them. Flows other than your sanitary waste again just so you understand what we did. So, um, as I mentioned, we were out there last this time last year measuring, metering. We divided the sewer system into 23 sub areas. The sewer system's not unlike a tree. You know,
022you've got lots of branches flowing through a trunk. So, on every one of those branches, we put a meter to capture the flow and measure it during dry weather and wet weather. And that's how we calculated the amount of extraneous flow. And it's in engineering, we've referred to it as inflow and infiltration. The difference is maybe subtle, but inflow is a a direct connection from a pipe. So, if a yard drain or a storm drain or something like that was connected to the sewer, which again it shouldn't be, but they exist. Um, that would be inflow. So, it rains, water goes right into the pipe. Infiltration is a little more invasive. It's cracks, defects, age of the pipe, the condition of the joints, and it's mostly groundwater just weeping in and sometimes gushing in into
023the sewers depending on the amount of the defect. So, you'll hear us throw around the term II a lot. It's inflow and infiltration. But you you need to understand them both in terms of making future estimates where where the sources are are coming from. So, that's what the metering program was for. And uh we also inspected about 10% of the sewer manholes. Um we we did a dist distributed inspection of the manholes just to get a good sense of the general condition. Um and that was part of the evaluation we completed because manholes it's not just pipes that can have defects. It can be manholes too that are sources of infiltration and inflow. And then with all of that data and I realize this is a busy slide but you you've also got it on
024your handout. We evaluated whether it was cost-effective to try to find pinpoint all those leak locations, all those sources of inflow and infiltration and repair them or would it make more sense, would it be more cost-effective to just build in capacity into the system to handle the infiltration inflow? And I'll say as part of this, you can never get rid of all of the infiltration and inflow. It would become exponentially expensive and difficult. Um, you usually look for the lowhanging fruit. Um but even doing that you can maybe get about 25% of the infiltration and inflow that's been our experience removed from the system and it just becomes too cost prohibitive after that. So we made that assumption with the infiltro inflow and infiltration we found we said okay how much would it cost to
025remove 25% of it and then we compared it to how much would it cost to simply I shouldn't say simply because it's not simple but to increase the capacity of the existing infrastructure to handle it and we compared the two and interestingly enough it was equal um about as equal as given the you know level of precision of our estimates. So we sat down with Joe and his staff and you know talked about the pros and cons and it was a long return on investment in terms of removing the infiltration and inflow. It took about 20 years in that analysis for it to equal out and there's also a certain amount of uncertainty when you're investing that kind of money about just how effective it might be. So after we evaluated it, it was our
026recommendation build in the capacity to the existing system. It's a solid tangible return on investment that is frankly guaranteed. You've got the capacity. You can handle it. We've got all the data. So if in the future it's something that want you you know you want to revisit and pursue, we know where it exists. But right now it is our recommendation to spend that money and get the immediate return on the investment in into the infrastructures as as opposed to trying to find the leaks and fix them. >> Yeah. And you may recall we're doing the shuttle metal pump station. So when we rebuilt that station, we rebuilt it to we sized it to handle all that extrrenuous flow. We didn't try to get rid of it. Um it's really difficult to remove INI. Um you
027know, if if you have like some pumps that are connected to your system, so you do these smoke tests, you tell people they have to disconnect the sump pumps if you're willing to do that. And as soon as you leave the house, the plumber's down there reconnecting the sump pump. And there's no way that we know. So it really just not cost effective to try to do that. >> And the other issue with removing infiltration is that you may remove you seal a pipe and the water that was going into that leak, the groundwater moves up incrementally and the next pipe segment upstream that wasn't showing infiltration now all of a sudden is because the groundwater moved up when you stopped from entering in the sewer. And just like it's just important to note your
028system's 75 years old, so it's, you know, and it was built during a time when there wasn't much PVC and and it's starting to show. We all get older, right, Ben? That's it's how it goes. >> Okay. So, that that was a major decision in in the study, a major recommendation. So having said all of that um we projected well these are your current and your projected flows including um as as there was an earlier question about it includes the future sanitary wastewater growth and it also includes the infiltration and inflow that we measured. So you can see that currently although I can barely see it from here go to my slide I believe it's uh 2.6 Six is our current average daily flow and our future average daily flow is 3.5 I believe. Sorry,
029I'm trying to find the slide. 3.3 >> 3.3 >> one one thing we'll we'll point this out later but since we're on the slide it's worth noting that the 2010 design which was the most recent comprehensive design the peak flow design the basis of the design was a peak flow of 7.5 million gallons per day. So even commonly the peak flows are exceeding what the plant was designed to handle and those differences you know that the blue is the average daily flow and the orange is those peak flows. We talked about the wet weather events and the infrastructure needs to be designed to handle the peak flows. So now we've got these flow numbers, current and projected, and we begin evaluating the capacity first of the collection systems. So the pipes and the pump stations,
030but I'm just going to talk about pipes for now. So we looked at the major trunk sewers in town um because that's where the flow begins to aggregate and really flow through. So we looked at 14 miles and modeled them of the trunk sewers for those flows, current and future. and um we assess their ability to handle the current and the future flows. So this next slide focuses in on what is a current or pending capacity concern. So the first one would be Journey Road, the pump station and a section of gravity sewers associated just downstream of that pump station where it discharges to. And that's number one. In case you don't know where stuff is, the journey pump station is right here. >> Okay. And then you go up to the cancer treatment center.
031>> And then as you're heading down New Britain Nav, we have a section of pipe that does need to be upsized. >> Needs to go from 8 in to 10 in. >> Mhm. >> And I'm I'm assuming with >> the PDD that was just approved by planning and joint. Mhm. >> Is that figured into this? >> Uh it is. We we we have to this will get adopted by the the POC. Um >> so yeah, we we actually work with them. So we don't do the we can't go into unsuited areas where the town has already said that these are sewer avoidance areas. We're not looking to go into any of those. We're just strictly dealing with the areas that we can develop and this would be one of them. >> Okay. >> That's slated
032for development. >> Okay. So that was a red flag in this near-term window what we're saying the fir the first five years of recommendations but this one's more more critical than that because it's necessary if any development is to take place there and then areas two and three which are essentially right about right where we are now right near the municipal center. Uh these are major trunk lines that are currently over capacity and currently beginning to sirch charge or back up uh not out of the manholes but within the pipe. Um so they are having uh capacity concerns under current flows that would only be exacerbated as flows increase. So they are in this this five-year recommendation. >> Joe, anything you want to say about those? Um, so the flows from Technology Park, they have
033to flow through this area. It's the only way they're going to get to the treatment point. They don't necessarily have to flow through this area, but we are having issues in that area and they need to be addressed. So, these are the two areas that we're looking to tackle it first. Let's get these done because we know that there's going to be development up there. We know that um that development can't happen until we can accommodate that development. Right now we can't. >> We can't. >> Okay. Can you what circle the circle number two? >> Yep. >> So this is going to be road to get the train tracks and the the crossing where the where the flea market is. Okay. >> Everything kind of converges there and then cuts across the ground to the
034treatment plant. So it cuts across and then goes down. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Okay. And so that's in the near f five term window then. And this includes those sewers, but this is this is for the 20-year planning period. These were which is not a huge amount. I mean we mentioned before you had 82 miles. This is 11,000 ft. So it's you know 2 miles approximately. Um, but these were all red flagged as sewers with future capacity concerns if the growth happens that's projected in the 20-year plan. And it also includes the ones I just mentioned. Um, at any rate, I know without street names, it's a bit difficult to tell, but they're mostly centered in in this sort of, you know, in the municipal center area with the exception of uh
035the one area up in the in the northwest section. So, that was the sewers, the capacity evaluation. The next thing we looked at were the pump stations. So, um we're focusing on four pump stations here again because they're in the five-year capital improvement plan that we're recommending, but we evaluated all of them and most of the well, the needs were really based on number one, could they handle the flows currently? Could they handle the flows in the future? And then it was also a conditional assessment. How old were they? what was the condition of of the equipment and the building itself. So, I'm just going to again, as I mentioned, just focus on the four pump stations within the 5-year window. So, Journey Road we just talked about, even though that's not that old of
0362016, it does not have capacity for a technology park. So, that is priority one. the next station, well, the next three stations all have current capacity issues and of course therefore have future flow capacity issues. Um, and these are older. Um, not that 2007 seems that long ago, but here we are, you know, almost 20 years later. So, there's certainly systems that need to be updated. And it's not the entire pump station for all these, but it's going to be pumps, electrical equipment to power those pumps, um, other other pieces of equipment that have aged out. So, it's Norton Park, Cook Street and Ashford Road Pump Station, and they all fall into that category that even for current flow, they need upgrades. I guess anything you'd want to add on those three, Joe? I guess
037what I would say about capacity is so each of these pump stations has two pumps and one pump should handle the flow, one pump should be your your standby or your backup. When the flows are rising, those are the they're running straight out 24 hours a day both pumps and there are times when both pumps can't keep up with the flow. Um, and we'll get alarms for high wet wall levels. So, they do have issues that need to be addressed. Okay, so that got us through collection system pump stations and now we'd uh really the meat of this presentation or a big chunk of it is about the treatment plan evaluation which is obviously your most complex and uh largest asset in in the collection system or can I say yeah I do have a
038question just back up one >> the project up on Journey Road >> that can't happen until the pump station is is updated and a lot of the pipe that's backing up already. >> Correct. >> That >> so their projects will not be approved until this is done. >> Um >> how what's >> they won't they wouldn't be approved to the extent that they want to develop. We could maybe handle some development up there, but not anywhere near what they want to do. >> Okay. >> Um >> before anything passes through planning and zoning, you you have to >> we have to sign off on it. Okay. and and we're in we're in we're talking with them and and they know the situation that we're facing. Um >> Okay. >> So hopefully we you know I
039think we'll be able to work our ways through that. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you. >> Yeah. Um no problem. >> Okay. >> The only other thing before we get into the treatment plant if you don't mind me just really quickly I want you to know that we talked earlier that it's 20 year lifespan. So your last upgrade was 2007. So your 20 years is year after next. So that it's not that even though sometimes you look at and you say, "Gee, everything looks new." Um, well, that's because we maintain it, but it's really it's 20 years old. So, okay. Well, similar to the other pieces of infrastructure, the treatment plant has to be able to handle the peak flows that it sees. It doesn't have a choice. They're coming down the pipe. And
040what we're showing here are the same the same graph we showed before with current average day, current peak, future average day, future peak, and then the red horizontal line was the peak is the peak capacity of the plant that was um constructed in the 2010 upgrade. So that's 7.5 versus you know, you can see that it's obviously below what it's currently seeing for peak flows. So we set about um figuring out how to handle this peak flow capacity at the treatment plant. Um obviously doing so is necessary to treat the treat the flow effectively and to give the staff the tools it needs um and to pro improve the reliability and efficiency and resiliency of the treatment plant. So these were key components of our recommendations here in our evaluation. So I guess just backing
041up um two approaches uh to dealing with this. You could have one would be just build a bigger treatment plant. Um but that would be incredibly cost prohibitive. So our first you know our first plan of attack was how can we use what we have and come up with a way to attenuate those flows at the treatment plant. In other words, shave those peak flows down so that we can get it to a level that the treatment plant can handle with a lesser upgrade. So that was our approach and it's a tight site. So this is um but the recommendation um you know we went back and forth a lot with with Joe and his staff about how to make this work and we feel really good about this. So step one let me I
042should back up the headworks um which is the gray building in the lower left corner um that currently cannot handle a future peak flow of um of 11.4 not even the 9.4. So, we're building a sid stream headwork. So, I say headworks, it's it's primary treatment. It's where you're getting the grit out any large objects in the wastewater through a screen. So, we will have a sid stream for those peak flows so that it essentially has some help and it can go around the sideream. So, that's the first piece of this is a new peak hour sidestream treatment unit. Again, it's just physical treatment, screening the wastewater, getting the grid out. Um then oops constructing essentially large tanks um that can store these peak flows. You got to remember it's a peak hour flow. It
043might last an hour, two hours. So the volume is big but it it's there's room on site to store it. So that way it's keeping it from hitting the rest of the treatment system. So what we're proposing here is actually using the existing primary clarifiers that are unused at the moment using that for part of the storage of those peak flows. So that's the first box on the left um to the left of preq tanks and then to the right next to the old control building associated with the original plant which is largely unused now um there is some some things in there that will need to be relocated to construct another equalization tank. So together those two tanks will attenuate those peak flows. So that that is a really big deal that that allows
044us to leverage the rest of the treatment plant without making it significantly bigger. >> And how how much how many millions of gallons or hundreds of thousands of gallons can you store until lower flows? >> Right. It can store so it'll take that peak flow of 11.4 MGD. So, you know, one MGD is 700 gpm. So, I mean, you're talking about a thousand gpm over the course of an hour or two that you'll store. Um, I can't do the math that quick in my head, but yeah, just to give you an idea. >> So, um, but yeah, they're hundreds of thousands of gallons, tank tank volumes. >> Um, and it's honestly not that different. a lot of uh this is I don't know if you're familiar with the Hartford MDC but they a much larger
045plan over there in Brainer row but they've effectively done the same thing or it's it's near complete now on a much larger scale so it's it's a common thing to do when you have the space so we were fortunate that we had the space here to do this to store those flows so now that those peak hour flows are stored we can uh upsize the pumps that feed those four circular tanks there Those are your sequential batch batch reactors. They're really the heart of the biological treatment process in the plant. So, and we can make improvements to those SBRs within the same footprint so they can handle the additional flow and strength of the wastewater. So, we're just going to increase that. We're not going to push 11.4 through it. We're just increasing those to
0468.7 mg. That's as much as we can get through. So, it's that's really the difference, the 11.4 peak and the 8.7 that we're going to be able to get through the treatment plant. So it's it's not even if that makes sense. We're moving flow constantly through the treatment plant. It's just that delta that we need to store. So they will get um new treatment equipment inside those including um and and you know they'll have new pumps for air. It'll have new decanters, new aation equipment. Um really those are getting old. That was 2010. So it's just refreshing all of that equipment and increasing its treatment size. So then the next step is to well this is some of the same that replacing the blowers. Those you need oxygen to treat the waste water, air to
047treat the waste water. Right now there's three um we're going to put in four blowers, one actually five, one for each tank plus a standby. So this will again give the town more flexibility. Sometimes the blower goes down. So you've you've got that standby and you've got a dedicated blower for each tank which gives you nice control versus trying to balance three for four tanks. Um, and so that's largely the upgrade for the SBR, the sequential batch reactors. Then the flow goes to the filters, and that that was the newer upgrade done around 2018. So those are the phosphorus cloth filters to remove that nutrient. So they'll be fine. They can handle the 8.7. Um, but we're going to put or we're proposing a new reaction tank, essentially a bigger tank um to dose some
048polymer and coagulant to help that phosphorus precipitate out and get trapped on the filters. So, it'll just again expand the capacity of the existing filter system without having to create bigger filters simply by creating another reaction tank. Then on the UV, this is the last step of the, well, not quite the second to last step on the treatment where you're disinfecting the wastewater, the ultraviolet disinfection system. Um, that just needs to be um upgraded a little bit to handle the larger flow from, you know, from the 7.5 to the 8.7. And then the final system is the posteration tank. And uh right now Joe, you can probably explain this but uh better than I can perhaps, but uh there's there's no way to take that tank down. And the idea is to to build um
049a split so that you can take one side down versus the other to give give the operators more flexibility in operating and maintaining that system. Yeah, that that's basically it. Um I you know the sort of one way to look at this because we're not going to be building new buildings or really new tanks. We're going to do some stuff on the ground. It's almost like giving the treatment plant a facelift. You know, we're going to get everything back looking good and running right. Um, but we're trying to keep the cost down as much as we can. So, we're not looking to build a replace of technology or try to do anything like that. We think that with the technology we have and the equipment that we have that we can do this for the
050least amount possible which >> so so these recommendations would take us from 7.5 million that line and moving it up to 8.7 >> yes >> is correct ultimately >> well up to 11 actually >> okay >> and and that's the beauty of storage >> with the storage >> that you would Okay my my recollection was the storage was like around 350,000 gallons okay >> I think that was a number you Okay. >> Thinking about >> um a few other things. Um upsizing the main generator at the treatment plant. Um there's actually two generators at the treatment plant, which isn't necessarily ideal. One's for the filter building, the other's for the rest of the treatment plant. >> Um so we're proposing one larger generator just to handle the whole treatment plant. So they don't have to
051try to, you know, it's just another thing to maintain and balance when you're trying to restore power or run on emergency power. Um, so make that one large generator and then to you actually utilize the generator that is that's at the filter building at the Journey Road pump station. So it's kind of a nice reuse of an existing generator. And then there's a few other things um not directly related to the treatment process, but just things that have aged out um that there's some roof improvements uh decant tanks. So things like that that are just it's logical to do those while we're doing the treatment uh flow you know the upgrading the the plant to handle the flow also upgrade the plant related to its supporting infrastructure. So well this will be impossible for me
052to read here and probably impossible for you to read there but it is in the handout. So, these are the costs associated with everything I just described, our our estimates of cost. So, I'm going to flip to the handout as well. >> That's why I gave you that stress ball. This is that moment now that you pick that up and you go, "Okay, >> that's why Rob's here now, right?" Yeah. >> A lot of money. >> You get Rob, too. >> You got one. Oh, yeah. So I realize there's a lot of cost information here. So on the presentation of why you can't see it, we we we were sort of building out the table, but let's focus on the largest one first, which is the water pollution control facility improvements. So that when we
053say total project OPC, it's an opinion of probable cost. So that has a cost of 24,900,000 our estimate. And you can see above that is the the estimated design cost and the estimated construction cost for that. And the rest of this table, well, I should there's an important piece here. If you if you continue to go down, you'll see probable clean water fund grants, probable CWF grants, and the number is 5,340,000. So that CTE through the clean water fund just like you're using uh for shuttle meadow although I don't that's not a 20% grant but the treatment plant would get a 20% grant >> which is very good. So that that's a $5 million grant. We were actually just talking with uh Deep this morning about this. So um they certainly feel the treatment plant
054would qualify for that because you were solving existing problems with with these upgrades. Um but the remaining 80% obviously would be the town share. So the table continues to break that down. As you continue going down the table, you'll see, you know, um the town share total, which is obviously less than the total project cost. It's it's less than by the 5.34 million. That's the 21.36 million for the treatment plant. Then the table just continues to amvertise it based on the remaining would be a 2% loan from the clean water fund. So, we've done this for every one of the projects we just presented here and I realize that's a lot to digest. Um, we put the years in the first that first row. So, we had starting the treatment plant design in 27. Also
055in 27 we had that one section of sewer on New Britain A that was associated with the Journey Road and the Technology Park. And then continuing to move to the right, you'll see in 27, we also had the Journey Road pump station. So those three 27 projects all starting in 27 are the what we consider to be the highest priority. Then the others we've just phased out, but obviously they're right on the heels um in terms of those other sewer improvements and the other pump stations. So the the CWF grant that's state >> correct know if there's anything any federal >> no that it's the clean water fund which is capitalized by the federal government but it's run by the states. >> Okay. So all right >> I know I can tell that Mike and
056I have talked about maybe some other funding sources. We're not not sure if we would qualify for rural development or anything through USDA, but we we will track those down and find out what we can get if anything. Um >> Okay. >> And this would be infrastructure improvements, CMDA possibly >> potentially. I mean, we're going to try to look at every opportunity we can. >> Yeah. Okay. We would expect some grants from the power company as well because there are some energy saving features that will be proposed and they've had a pretty good track record of helping municipalities get some monies for their wastewater improvements. >> We did receive money from Evers when we did the phosphorus upgrade. We got some grant money. So, All right. Any any other questions, >> Rob? You're okay. Squeeze
057a little. >> Okay. Um, >> is there any uh anything else you want to share? I I know a lot of numbers. I don't know. uh you know as far as our next steps would be >> maybe >> well Mr. Chairman, I think may maybe Joe wants to >> speak to when you look at at this plan >> um you know the sequencing that he has in in mind I think would be the the next step to to explain to you how that might how they would like to go about the state. No, I think I did just move the total. So, I I think what we would like to propose is to do the journey road improvements um which is going to be the piece of piping which is 30 330,000. >> Y >>
058and then the Journey Road pump station upgrade which is just under 2 million. >> Mr. Chairman. >> Yes. Um I I have a question but it's for Mike. Because the cost to Journey Road is so significant and because that's new, is there any thought of put into charging the developer of the Journey Road system for this this cost because >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yes. And uh there Joe Joe has had those conversations and and again it's a second part or later on in this this agenda we have the the uh the tie-in fee discussion in terms of matching um the practice with a vote from or recommendation from WPCA to the council to approve what those tie-in fees would be. is really kind of clarifying and ratifying what we need to do so that
059it has this discussion. Joe's already begun with uh the development. >> Okay. All right. Great. And to Norton Park, I mean, because we have other towns coming in and using our park for different games and stuff and there what kind of fees are charged for >> get are there fees? There are fees, aren't there? >> I I don't know about that aspect in terms of fees. Uh I was referring to in terms of straight development when you tie into the system. >> Okay. >> I'm not sure how >> that would Okay. >> A little bit different. Yeah. >> Just thinking trying to think outside the box here of how we can recoup some of the money. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Almost thinking like an inind service and and we don't we don't
060do any of that, right? >> We have no inind services between the schools or the town halls and all that. So >> quarter quarter flush toilets, whatever. >> Yeah. They used to have those back in the day, right? >> Yeah. >> I'm showing my age with that one. >> So again, that I would look at that Journey Road improvements. So that would be on the under the collection system. Um it would be item one and under the pump station, it would be item one. I think that at this time we should also be looking at item two under the collection system because as I showed you on the map, if we do technology park, we already have a problem down by the by the railroad tracks. So, we're going to have to address that. Um,
061it's only going to get worse once technology parks gets developed. So, those would be the three that I think that we should look at trying to get taken care of in the next few years. Hopefully we can start on it next year. Uh we have put applications into the state for funding for design. Um on the journey road, we probably won't go through the state because especially on the engineering because it's so small. I know it doesn't sound like it's small, but $330,000 if you go through state funding, the requirements that you have to meet to get that state funding is going to cost us more >> than the 330,000. New Britain Avenue. >> New Britain Avenue. Sorry. Um, >> and just real like with the, you know, down here on East Main Street, >>
062are what kind of arrangements with the railroad tracks or the company that now owns them? Like is there a potential coordination? I I mean I don't or any special permitting for us to do work under I mean I imagine the pipes they must go under the railroad track somewhere. Yeah, I believe there is a there is a force mean that goes under it when we would work with the railroad company. We we'd have to do that. Um >> All right. >> You know, it it would probably add a little bit of cost because what we'd end up doing is doing work at night, but then we'd have to restore it enough so that they can do their trains during the day. Um but it it's definitely can be done. >> Okay. >> All right. Any
063other questions about I guess and this would all be you're you're talking Joe you're talking the collection systems one and two and the pump station one the initial our initial let's get this done now one and two >> one one and two okay >> but we also have to look at the treatment plan >> y >> so we're going to want to start doing some design on that probably next year and that will go through the state so that that's not going to be so much on the town, but at some point we're going to have to appropriate the full amount. >> We don't have to spend any of it and it'll be contingent on them funding it, but they won't fund any. They won't give any grants unless the town is committed and voted.
064>> We need to approve the million approve any funds coming. Okay. No, that's we're familiar with that. >> So, you know, we will be looking for for a large appropriation probably next year. >> Okay. for the treatment plant, but that doesn't mean it's going to get spended. >> Right. Right. >> Okay. >> Journey Road for the project going up. >> Yep. >> It' be their responsibility to get to Journey Road pump station. >> Yeah. There's currently a gravity line that goes up to the top of the hill. Um and they be responsible for coming down I can't don't remember the name of the Lon Lake maybe is is the road. Um, so they would have to come down Lon Lake and then connect to it right at the top of the hill on the road.
065>> Okay. >> Which I think is Mountain Road. >> Um, >> yeah. Yeah. Okay. >> And I mean I I I'll mention this now just because we're talking about technology park. So we're going to talk a little bit later about how the connection fees work. Um, under current practice, the connection fee for the development that's being proposed would be 2.1 million. Obviously that can offset the work that we're going that we need to do. Um >> okay, >> but you know that'll have to be negotiated and and you know figure out you know how maybe that's palatable for everybody and what's a good number and we're not there yet. >> Okay. >> All right. Any other questions >> now? Are do you want to talk about the collection systems three and pump stations? I guess
0662, three, and four. >> I take it those are after we get through this initial if if the way you wanted. >> Two, three, and four need to be done, but nothing we're going to do, >> excuse me, is going to impact those pump stations. So, they need to be done, but it's not as critical. you know, you don't need to do any of those to accommodate the Journey Road area. >> Okay? >> But they do need to be. >> So, clearly that Journey Road, that's that's a priority. >> That's the priority right now. >> That flows into East Main Street, which makes that a priority, and that's how we're kind of where we are. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Exactly. >> All right. >> So, the next item in this is the sewer service
067area sewer service area map. So, I just wanted to talk to you a little bit about that. So, the town's required as part of this facilities plan to create a sewer service area map. And what that map is, it's it's delineation by lot where we're going to run sewers and where we're not going to run sewers. Now, we do have sewer avoidance areas that pertain to the quaries and stuff like that. But there are areas of town that we have not sewed yet. And there's reasons that we haven't sewed them. Um, mostly it's going to be, you know, Route 84 is a problem for us because we have properties on the other side of that. And, you know, it may be a good solution for those properties may be to go to Southernington because we
068do share sewers with Southernington where properties go back and forth. We also have issues around railroad tracks, rivers, Route 72. Um, so we've developed the sewer service area map that we're going to ask you to approve. And once you approve that sewer service area map, there's um 5,000 customs 6,000 customers. Right now, there will be 175 properties that we're not identifying right now to sew because of those restrictions. There's also topography issues over by 84. We would have to install a pump station. So, they're much bigger projects to get to those areas. Um, and again, it's 175 properties. um just about all homes. There's a couple of buildings um in the North Washington Street towards the Pquabic River that we can't get to, but that'll bring us up to about 97 98% sew it. And
069it doesn't mean that we have to sew right away. It's just we have to identify those those areas that we may one day sewer. in those areas that we're not identifying, those 175 properties, the the board can always come back and include them with another vote. You can amend your sewer plan. It's just right now to get it approved. We don't we don't it's just going to really muddy the waters because you can't get to them. Um, so there'll be there'll be I I think that there's maybe some motion discussion coming up where >> Yes. Yes. >> Um, we're going to deal with the sewer service area map and take that up at a at a future meeting. >> Okay. >> Um, >> all right. So, any questions on the uh sewer service area map?
070All right. >> So, do we want to talk about uh Yep. >> second item under new business tonight? >> So, that has to do with the connection fees. Um, currently the practice is is that we charge $3,000 per unit. So, if you tear down a house and you build 12 condominium units, and I I use that because it's happened a few times, each one of those units would pay $3,000, right? As opposed to one sewer pipe coming from those 12 units and just charging them one $3,000 assessment. It's really a matter of fairness. So if you go and you go and sewer a neighborhood, each home's going to pay $3,000 and they're going to have an impact on the treatment plant. It's going to be a home. It's going to be about 300 gallons per
071day. Um if you go in there and you have technology park 172 units, that has a much bigger impact on the treatment plant. And charging them $3,000 is not fair to the homeowner and it's not fair to the town because the town has to accommodate that flow. and we need to do upgrades to accommodate that flow. >> Yeah. So, what we're what we're looking for is um and I think you probably have some language on that. >> Yeah. >> Um >> as to how we're really just voting to um make official what we're already doing. It's it's what we have been doing. Um it's just not voted anywhere. We thought it was voted somewhere. We can't find it. So, we're just going to revote it at the board if the board's willing. >> Mr. Chairman.
072>> Yes. >> Yeah. I think I think we did talk about this at one point. I don't know if it was with this council or with planning and zoning or >> I I remember talking about it with the council, >> right? And it was somebody some builder wanted to put one connection and he was building three units or something like that and >> correct. >> Yeah. Okay. We So, we did discuss this before. >> We did and I thought we voted it but we just can't find the vote. >> Okay. Did you look at planning and zoning minutes or did you >> No, because planning and zoning minutes wouldn't govern the water pollution control of the town council. >> How about ZBA with ZBA? No. >> No, >> never. Just us, right? >> It's it's
073really up to you guys. >> I remember. I remember discussing. >> We did. We did discuss it. I just can't find a vote. >> Okay. All right. Thanks, Joe. >> Now, both the motions we we have scheduled tonight, we're acting as the WPCA. >> These would go to the council. It would come to the council >> at some point and we would have to as the council then we would actually go ahead and take action. Okay, >> that's correct. Yeah. >> Okay. >> I just want to I just want to say the reason that is is the whole shuttle metal pump station that we filed the applications with clean water fund um with this WPCA authority approving everything, not the town council. when it came back to us saying no, you you have to the
074town council is the only legal authority quote unquote to approve and and and move these type of situations forward. So, >> no different than, you know, P&Z recommending to the town council to approve XYZ. WPCA is recommending to the town council to approve >> these type of concept projects. >> And and to and to cover ourselves, what we're actually going to do is we're going to have the WPCA approve it >> and and send it back to the council. So there'll be two approvals. So the DEP can't come back and say, "Well, the other board should have done this." We just got both boards approved. >> We're just checking all the boxes as far as >> and and and it might be overkill, but at the same time, it's checked and I don't think anybody
075can deny it after, you know, say we didn't do the right steps. So >> it's well worth the three minutes of our time that it's going to take. >> Correct. Yes. >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. All right. Any other questions, comments? >> No, I mean I I think we I covered as much as I could. If I missed anything, just let me know. >> Okay. >> Well, there somewhere. >> Thank you for being here tonight. Um, >> you know, we do have a lot I think to uh absorb with the especially with the presentation and some of the >> challenges I'll say that we have going forward as far as you know, flow and accommodating that. But um you know I guess just looking back to to the initial presentation you know uh uh
076currently with deep what are we permitted per day? >> So the discharge permit that we have is 3.8 million gallons per day >> and we are exceeding that >> yes >> regularly. Well we receded we exceeded it we exceeded the 2.6 for over 90 days in a row is which was what prompted this whole thing was >> okay. because I remember we spoke I guess 17 months ago speaking about that was >> somewhere around February when it starts melting we start exceeding and we'll exceed straight through the summer. >> All right. All right. Any other comments or questions? All right. I guess unless Tom's anything from town manager. >> No, you should all have the prepared motion. >> Yep. We have two motions. Uh if someone cares to take up item number one, >> Mr.
077Chair. >> Yes. Councilwoman Christopher. >> Motion for the Water Pollution Control Authority to approve and recommend the town council approve the sewer service area map. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. Any comments or questions? All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Motion carries. Item number two. >> Mr. Chair, >> Councilman Gdman. Motion for the water pollution control authority to approve and recommend the town council clarify and ratify the current policy in place that all units that are not single family homes be treated as separate individual units and as such shall be charged a sewer connection fee of $3,000 per unit. >> Second. >> All right. Motion and a second. Uh any comments or questions? >> All those in favor. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Um, that completes all of our new
078business this evening. Unless someone has something else to share, a motion to adjurnn. >> So, move second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> All right. Well, we are adjourned. We'll see everyone uh Monday night for the next regular council meeting. Thank you, everyone.