The Wastewater Management District Commission on Sept. 8 heard updates on plant maintenance, finances, and ongoing issues with fats, oils, and grease from the Alta Oxbow apartment complex.
Treatment plant maintenance
Public Works Director Tom Holder reported that the wastewater treatment plant has undergone extensive maintenance this year, including tank coatings and equipment replacements. About $44,000 remains from the $526,000 capital appropriation for upgrades.
Operations Manager Jared Cotton said mirofiltration membrane bioreactor (MBR) tank 1 was cleaned, recoated and fitted with new diffusers, and both fine screens have been installed. The screens are currently operating manually while the commission awaits delivery of a control box to integrate them with the plant’s monitoring system. Cotton said the delay has required continuous water use, raising the plant’s water bill, but automation will regulate wash cycles and reduce costs.
Cotton also noted intermittent electrical problems traced to wiring between the motor control cabinets and the plant’s programmable logic controller (PLC). The glitches have not affected treatment but have disrupted monitoring screens. Daigle Electric and Wilson Controls have been contracted to troubleshoot.
Fat, oil and grease issues
The commission discussed ongoing blockages caused by fats, oils and grease at the Alta Oxbow Apartments. Holder said the town has hired vacuum trucks monthly to clear the lines and billed the property owner, but the approach is unsustainable. Town counsel has been engaged to enforce compliance with wastewater regulations. Summer wastewater flows averaged 30,000 to 32,000 gallons per day, with Alta contributing about 12,000 gallons.
Budget and revenues
Finance Manager Sarah Pawluczonek reported revenues through August at 27% of the annual target following the first quarterly billing, with another billing scheduled for mid-September. Expenses were within forecast, except for an additional $5,700 in water costs tied to the manual operation of the screen wash system.
For fiscal 2024, the commission drew about $75,000 from retained earnings, far less than the $200,000 budgeted. Pawluczonek said this helped preserve fund balances and was incorporated into the recent rate study.
New revenue included a $128,856 privilege fee payment from URBN’s Terrain restaurant project, covering both standard capacity charges and a surcharge for new connections exceeding 500 gallons per day. Holder said the funds will offset borrowing for the Route 20 low-pressure sewer force main replacement design. Michael Gitten, WWMC chair, added that two fast-casual restaurants proposed for the former Bank of America building could also generate new connections, though no applications have been filed.
Policy and next steps
Gitten told the commission he had briefed the Planning Board on privilege fee policy, stressing that the commission’s priority is maintaining compliance with its discharge permit and maximizing flow to help stabilize rates. He noted about 8,000 gallons of Title 5 capacity remain available without further expansion review.
The commission unanimously approved its 2025 annual report, with staff to incorporate updated financial data.
