WPCA Meeting Minutes 05/12/2022
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY
REGULAR MEETING
MAY 12, 2022
“Subject to Vote of Approval”
1. CALL TO ORDER
Paul Gilmore called the regular meeting of the Water Pollution Control Authority to order at 7:05 p.m. via a hybrid of in-person and virtual Zoom meeting. The following members were present: Michael Park, Ed Kelly and Jacques Brignac. Also present were Anthony Piazza, Superintendent, Tom Roy, Director of Public Works and Alison Sturgeon, Clerk.
2. SAFETY BRIEF – Mr. Gilmore stated that as the warmer weather approaches, he cautioned everyone about lawn mowers on inclines. Riding mowers can easily tip and lead to dire consequences.
3. PUBLIC HEARING – INDUSTRIAL USE PERMIT REGISTRATION AND FATS, OIL AND GREASE REGISTRATION FEES
Mr. Gilmore read the legal notice.
LEGAL NOTICE
TOWN OF SIMSBURY
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY
The Water Pollution Control Authority will hold a public hearing at their meeting on Thursday, May 12, 2022, in the Main Meeting Room at the Simsbury Town Hall, 933 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT at 7:00 p.m. The meeting can be watched live and will be rebroadcast on Comcast Channels 96, 1090, Frontier Channel 6071 and LIVE streamed or on-demand at www.simsburytv.org. The purpose of this hearing is to review the proposal to set the fee structure for the Industrial Use Permit Registration and the Fats, Oil and Grease (FOG) Registration. Affected property/business owners shall have an opportunity to be heard concerning the proposed fee structure.
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY
Paul Gilmore, Chairman
Mr. Kelly made a motion to open the public hearing. Dr. Park seconded the motion, which was unanimously approved.
Regarding the Fats, Oil and Grease (FOG) program, Mr. Piazza stated that this is the general permit for discharge of wastewater associated with food service establishments. The State permit came into effect in 2015 and is due to expire in 2025. In the past, the Town did have a management program in place with no financial assistance. The process is more cumbersome since they are now required to maintain cleaning logs, grease disposal logs and inspection reports. Mr. Piazza stated that Town staff is recommending a bi-annual fee of $50 for all Class 3 and 4 restaurants in Simsbury, which would cover the inspector’s costs overseeing this program. He believes it will take approximately 1-2 hours per restaurant. The plan is to have the restaurants send in their document. If they do not, the inspector will then be sent out for additional inspections.
Mr. Piazza stated that the draft FOG Policy has been reviewed by the Town Attorney. He stated that the WPCA does not need to vote on the policy tonight. This hearing is for setting the fee.
Mr. Gilmore questioned how many restaurants were in Simsbury. Mr. Piazza stated that there are approximately 85 Class 3 and 4 restaurants that will be a part of this program.
Mr. Kelly made a motion to approve a $50 bi-annual fee for Class 3 and 4 restaurants in Simsbury with respect to the Fats, Oil and Grease management program. Mr. Brignac seconded the motion, which was unanimously approved.
Regarding the general permit for discharge of industrial users, Mr. Piazza stated that the State of Connecticut reissued this permit in October of 2020 and it is due to expire in October 2025. The State managed this program prior to this time; their permit fees ranged between $3,500 - $6,500, depending on flows. The State has now put the onus on towns to manage this program. The program has also since expanded to include auto repair shops; car washes; public pools; manufacturing; distilleries and breweries. They have also reduced the flow requirements for registration purposes to include any industrial user that discharges more than 1,000 gpd.
Mr. Piazza stated that Town staff is recommending any industrial user with less and 1,000 gpd be charged a registration fee of $100; a user between 1, 000 – 5, 000 gpd be charged the $100 registration fee as well as a $500 permit fee; and any user above 5,000 gpd be charged the $100 registration fee as well as a $1,000 permit fee. He stated that the reasoning behind separating the users above 1,000 gpd and 5,000 gpd is because of the sampling requirements.
Mr. Kelly questioned if the registration fee of $100 would be a one-time fee. Mr. Piazza stated that the registration fee would be good for a 5-year period, which is the length of the permit. Mr. Kelly stated his concern regarding the substantial decrease in fees from when the State was issuing these permits. He questioned if Town staff felt comfortable that these new proposed fees would cover their costs. Mr. Piazza stated that costs would be covered at these rates.
Mr. Piazza stated that the Town of Simsbury does not have the authority to bill a user in another town, although they do have the right to bill that town for those users. Mr. Kelly questioned if these types of fees were covered in the Intertown Agreements with Avon and Granby. Mr. Piazza stated that the agreements are vague concerning this.
Mr. Gilmore stated that the WPCA has a duty to treat the same classes of dischargers in Avon and Granby as they do in Simsbury. While they may not be able to charge them, their respective towns can assess them and Simsbury can recover their costs by billing the Towns so Simsbury users will not be subsidizing the businesses in other towns. Mr. Roy stated that their goal is to work with Avon, Granby and the Town Attorney to come up with the appropriate mechanism to charge these users.
Mr. Kelly questioned which town would be responsible to inspect the users in Avon and Granby. Mr. Piazza stated that the Town of Simsbury would be responsible to monitor these users.
Mr. Piazza read a letter into the record from Larry Baril, Avon Town Engineer.
Mr. Piazza reminded the Authority members that they are setting and voting on the fee structure for the Town of Simsbury and they have a right to charge those same fees to Avon and Granby users based on the permit. At the same time, Avon and Granby will need to set their own policies and fee structures for users in their towns.
Mr. Kelly made a motion to continue the public hearing, regarding the Miscellaneous Industrial Use permits until the next regularly scheduled meeting. Dr. Park seconded the motion, which was unanimously approved.
Regarding the WPC fee schedule, Mr. Piazza recommended that the residential rate of $360 per EDU and non-residential rate of $4.56 per CCF remain the same. They are recommending that the construction permit fee, which has not had an increase since 2004, be increase from $100 to $150 in order to cover the administrative and inspection costs. He stated that Town staff is also recommending that labor costs be increase from $40/hour to $50/hour; and increase vehicle fees from $50/hour to $60/hour.
There was a short discussion regarding the vehicle fees and rising gas prices.
Mr. Brignac made a motion to keep the residential sewer rates at $360/EDU and non-residential sewer user rates at $4.56/CCF for FY 2022/23 with no increase; to increase construction permit fees from $100 to $150; to increase labor fees from $40/hour to $50/hour; and to increase vehicle fees from $50/hour to $60/hour. Mr. Kelly seconded the motion, which was unanimously approved.
4. BELDEN FOREST COURT CONDOMINIUMS - DISCUSSION
Mr. Piazza stated that Belden Forest Court Condominiums, which are individually owned, are being charged by water use. Prior to 2011, they were being charged as individual units. He stated that WPC policy states that because they are individually owned, they should be getting charged $360 per residential unit. Town staff is requesting permission to charge each individual unit. He stated that they have been receiving an approximate $12,000 discount since 2011.
Mr. Kelly stated that this will come as a shock to the people that live there. Mr. Gilmore stated that there may have been some rationale for switching these condominiums from EDUs to water usage. He does not feel it would be fair to change their sewer fees without notice. The WPCA has a public duty to give them an opportunity to be heard, as well as advanced notice prior to any possible increase of this magnitude.
Mr. Roy suggested that Mr. Piazza reach out to Belden Forest Court Condominiums prior to the next meeting.
5. STATUS REPORT ON SEWER EXTENSION PROJECTS, ETC.
Regarding the Hopmeadow Street / Woodland Street sewer upgrade project, Mr. Piazza stated that the contractor did get delayed. They will be starting work inside Dyno Nobel on Monday. They will then continue work at the north end of Woodland Street. They did some hydroseeding on Hopmeadow Street; they will then be doing some sidewalk repair on the south end of Woodland Street.
Mr. Piazza stated that the Pine Hill Homeowner’s Association voted to move ahead with their sewer upgrade project. A public hearing will need to be held for this project.
Regarding the Ridge at Talcott Mountain, Mr. Piazza stated that they changed the design of the commercial building. They have been notified of the increase in their FCC because of this change. Also, the developer is still in the preliminary design phase for the Simscroft lot on Iron Horse Boulevard.
6. TREATMENT FACILITY REPORT
Mr. Piazza stated that all permit requirements were met for the month of April. He stated that staff continues to work with AECOM for the update of the Water Pollution Control Plan, the Water Pollution Control Facilities Plan, analysis of the protective berm with the updated flood plain mapping, and an update on the phosphorous removal plan. Corrections are being made to the draft copy of the plan and it will be provided once complete.
Mr. Piazza stated that on April 26th, the influent sampler failed resulting in a lost scheduled sample day. The sampler was replaced and all testing was rescheduled for later in the week. A report was filed with the State DEEP on the issue
Regarding sewer lining, Mr. Piazza stated that staff has provided a list of lines to be completed in the Tariffville section of Town as well as several lines along Hopmeadow Street. The Tunxis Pump Station force main will be part of this project as well. This year’s work is scheduled to be completed in July.
Mr. Piazza stated that Michael Morin and Lee Schmidt have started as plant operators and bring skill sets that will be a benefit to the WPCF staff.
7. CORRESPONDENCE – None.
8. APRIL MEETING MINUTES – POSSIBLE APPROVAL
Dr. Park made a motion to approve the April 14, 2022 meeting minutes as written. Mr. Brignac seconded the motion. Dr. Park and Mr. Brignac voted in favor. Mr. Gilmore and Mr. Kelly abstained.
The April meeting minutes will be put on the agenda for next month’s meeting.
9. ADJOURN
Mr. Kelly made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:57 p.m. Dr. Park seconded the motion, which was unanimously approved.
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Paul Gilmore, Chairman