OLD LYME WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY COMMISSION
Thursday April 19, 7.30pm
Second floor Conference Room
Memorial Town Hall
52 Lyme St, Old Lyme, CT 06371
Present: Chairman Dimitri Tolchinski, Mervin Roberts, George James, Luisa Grogan, Keith Czarnecki, Roger Breunig, Louis Russo, David Redfield; alternate Andrea Lombard; WPCA Consulting Engineer Brian Curtis, WPCA Attorney Narcy Dubicki
Absent: Aimee Eberly
Guests: Town Sanitarian Ron Rose, Assistant Sanitarian John Flower, Selectwoman May Jo Nosal; Steve Dix, Rino Vitali, Eugene “Mike” Evangelisti (Old Saybrook WPCA Manager)
Call to order/welcome:
Chairman Dimitri Tolchinski called the meeting to order at 7:40pm.
Chairman’s Report
Chairman Tolchinski reported on a conference he attended earlier in the month with First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder and Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal. The April 2-5 conference in Providence was sponsored by the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. He shared with members a sample of a pipe produced by Advanced Enviro-Septic currently approved for use in other New England states. Sanitarian Ron Rose stated that Connecticut has only approved conditional use of the Advanced Enviro-Septic pipe.
Chairman Tolchinski distributed other written materials from the Conference.
Approval of March 15, 2012 Minutes
A motion was made by Mervin Roberts and seconded by Keith Czarnecki to approve the minutes of March 15. Motion passed.
Legal Process to establish Wastewater Management Districts in Old Lyme
Attorney Narcy Dubicki distributed and summarized preliminary legal research he performed on legal aspects of establishing Decentralized Wastewater Management Districts. Specific criteria is required:
- The District(s) must be the most cost-effective solution, as determined by an engineering report
- The District(s) must be approved by both the Connecticut DEEP and the Connecticut Dept of Public Health with local public health consultation.
- The District(s) must be created/adopted by local ordinance
- The District(s) must include a long term commitment to maintenance and monitoring by the municipality and its citizens.
Attorney Dubicki cautioned that the process is not a quick one but noted that the research materials provided a blueprint of sorts for the process. He said that Denis Greci, Supervisor and Sanitary Engineer of the State DEEP, is willing to attend a WPCA meeting and present a Powerpoint on the topic.
Sanitarian Ron Rose suggested that Bob Scully from the State Public Health Department
should be invited to attend any meeting at which the DEEP will be represented.
Chairman Tolchinski recognized Eugene “Mike” Evangelisti, Old Saybrook’s WPCA Program Manager, who provided an overview of Old Saybrook’s experience with the establishment of a Wastewater Management District. Mr. Evangelisti invited the WPCA to avail itself of the research and data available in Old Saybrook, including past budgets. He stressed the importance of in-house staff for both cost & time efficiencies and indicated that, in the initial stages of the process, staffing should include both a Program Manager and a part-time clerk.
Selectwoman Nosal asked if the Old Saybrook engineering report had clearly shown the cost-effectiveness of a District. Mr. Evangelisti said while it had not, Old Saybrook was able to demonstrate cost-effectiveness through the negative economic impact to the Town that would result from widespread system failure.
Roger’s Lake Preliminary Assessment of Soil Suitability for Subsurface Sewerage Disposal
Consulting engineer Brian Curtis summarized his evaluation of soils in the Roger’s Lake area. He indicated that the process he followed could be applied to any area in town. Mr. Curtis said that formation of a Wastewater Management District would be the final outcome of establishing a need for such a District(s).
The process for evaluating other areas in town would include:
- creation of a map using aerial photos that show properties
- marking the map to indicate groundwater monitoring sites, soil types, topography
- researching Health Dept files for soil test reports, septic pump-out tickets, notifications of system failures
- conducting a sanitary survey of an area during high occupancy, with field inspections and surface water sampling to seek indicators of system failures
- checking high density areas for evidence of nitrate pollution
Once the data is collected, it will be possible to determine the areas and lots that are suitable for conventional systems.
After discussion, WPCA members agreed that existing town staff should be utilized for preliminary information gathering as outlined by Mr. Curtis.
A motion was made by Roger Breunig, seconded by Mervin Roberts that consulting engineer Brian Curtis should be instructed to do similar in-depth mapping the Sound View Beach area based upon information to be provided by town staff and additional information that Mr. Curtis will develop. Motion passed.
Members agreed that Sanitarian Ron Rose and Mr. Curtis will determine the exact area in Sound View to be assessed. Mr. Curtis will present the assessment at the May WPCA Meeting. Members agreed it was premature to invite a representative from the DEEP to attend the May meeting.
Selectwoman Nosal stated that data has to be input and organized electronically. She expressed concern that the WPCA may not be acting quickly enough with a Wastewater Management District development process.
A motion was made by Louis Russo, seconded by Roger Breunig, that the WPCA will ask the Board of Selectmen for personnel and funding to facilitate the research required by Mr. Curtis. Motion passed.
Discussion to establish “Decentralized Wastewater Management Districts” in Old Lyme
Attorney Dubicki asked if he might contact Old Saybrook attorneys in order to gather additional information about the legal process.
A motion was made by Louis Russo, seconded by Keith Czarnecki to approve his request. Motion passed.
Mr. Russo suggested that the May agenda include:
- Discussion of the pros and cons of Wastewater management districts
- Discussion of regulation and enforcement issues in Town
- Discussion of all options
Ron Rose - Sanitarian’s Report
Ron Rose distributed the Sanitarian’s Report. A motion was made by Louis Russo, seconded by Dimitri Tolchinski to accept the report as submitted. Motion passed.
Budget
Treasurer Luisa Grogan reported that year to date expenses have been $12,973 and there is a balance in the current year’s budget of $11,639. She asked that any outstanding invoices for consulting services be submitted.
Public Comment
None
Other Business
Mr. Russo distributed a newspaper article about a proposed Coastal Protection Bill.
Adjournment
A motion was made by Mervin Roberts, seconded by Keith Czarnecki to adjourn
Motion passed.
Meeting was adjourned by Chairman Tolchinski at 10:18 pm
Submitted by
Catherine Frank
Acting Clerk
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