Comprehensive Study to Evaluate Stonegate Sewage Mishaps in Detail

The Town Council recently voted to allocate $59,420 to pay for a study that will hopefully begin solving the Stonegate Road sewer problems once and for all.

Town Manager Garry Brumback said Tuesday that a comprehensive evaluation performed by CDM of Wethersfield will analyze the Stonegate Road sewer shed and the misery brook interceptor to determine what the town's next steps will be.

Stonegate area neighbors have been plagued by raw sewage leaking into their homes and basements since 2007.

Most recent backups occurred in February when about four Stonegate area neighbors saw the familiar sights of sewage seeping through drains after excessive rainfall.

Brumback said those occurrences prompted officials to pursue an immediate study of the area before an broader, town wide sewer system analysis is conducted later this year.

"The neighbors had a list of concerns and we want to take a look at all of them because one of the things we've been hearing is that we're not listening to their concerns," Brumback said. "After a hydraulics analysis and hydrology report is done, it will give us an idea of what we need to do."

Martin Senich, a resident of 352 Stonegate Road and one of six homeowners affected by the sewage backups, said he sees the study as a step in the right direction, but wonders how long it will be until he sees an actual solution.

Senich dealt with sewage leaking out of his shower drain, most recently during the February rainstorms.

"It's a step in the right direction, but whether or not the study expedites a remedy the problem is yet to be seen," Senich said. "I will say that the new town manger has communicated with us and has been more proactive in dealing with us than the former town manager has in all these years."

Many Stonegate residents, including Senich believe the sewage system has to be reconstructed to permanently fix the problem, but officials such as Town Engineer Anthony Tranquillo believe illegal sump pumps may be the primary cause.

The Town Council recently approved an ordinance that would incur fines to those found using illegal sump pumps and refusing to remove them.

Town officials plan to meet with neighbors later this month the progress of the comprehensive study, which should be submitted by May 27 according to CDM's contract. A preliminary report is expected on April 18.