Council Approves Sewer Pipe Lining in Misery Brook Area

Members of the Town Council voted Monday to approve a motion hiring CDM of Wethersfield to develop a plan for repairs to the sewer system in the Misery Brook area.

The motion, which was approved unanimously, will allow the town to enter into the design portion of the project immediately. Funding for the design will cost $14,400 and will come from the town’s sewer fund. 

At Issue
Staff with CDM in June said water infiltration in manholes and pipes was causing up to 42,000 gallons of water to infiltrate the system per day due to cracks and leaks in both manhole walls and pipes.

The issue led sewage to back into homes along Stonegate Road, just south of Berlin Avenue, on three occasions since 2007.

Town Manager Garry Brumback said Monday that preliminary recommendations from CDM staff were to use cured-in-place pipe lining for 1,900 feet of piping as well as in 24 manholes, but final recommendations included lining 2,400 feet of piping and 44 manholes.

The entire project is projected to cost approximately $180,000, to be paid for from the sewer fund.

“The final recommendation added suspenders to the belt,” Brumback said. “Completing the project at the $130,000 level left them with an 85 percent confidence, but this increases the confidence to 95 percent.”
 
What's Next
The town will begin work on the project immediately, but the overall cost left several local residents and town officials concerned over how to pay for the project and whether the additional five percent could still mean problems for local residents.

Once the system is complete, Brumback told council members that the new lining would be tested to assure that the problem does not occur again.

But John Barry said paying for the repairs through the sewer fund – something that Brumback recommended and Town Council Chairman Edward Pocock III said would not affect sewer rates – could be problematic as it would leave just over $500,000 in the fund. He suggested the council look at possible short-term, low interest bonding options for the project.

Residents also called for the further study and repair of the towns entire system, including addressing problems at the Misery Brook interceptor where flow levels were “above industry standards” according to CDM officials.

Brumback said the town would enter further studies in the fall evaluating the entire town’s system, but projected timetables and costs were not yet available.

Once the design phase is complete on the Misery Brook area, Brumback said the town would “expedite” the bidding process so that repairs are completed before winter.

‘Speaking’ of...
“Replacing pipes is not even on table. We’ve gone all this way and are at the goal line, first and goal, and this is like kicking field goal instead of going for a touchdown. I want the pipes replaced. I know not going to happen, but that’s the only sure solution and that’s what I want. Until you see your 5-year-old daughter stand there watching her possessions float by in a sea of you-know-what, even if it’s only 5-percent chance, I don’t want to take that chance.” – Tony Casale, Stonegate Road resident.

“A better solution is to replace the pipes with concrete PVC piping. I asked (June 8) if could tell any prospective buyer of home that the problem is totally resolved, CDM answered that I would be able to make said statements. By the council agreeing to sleeve pipes I will take it that you as a council honestly and with conviction stand by CDM’s answer.” – Robert Timpe, Stonegate Road resident.

“The thought I came away with (June 8) was that pump station closed and the pipes they replaced down there were too small. The fear is even if they sleeve the pipes, if there is a problem down there than we will still see the backups. I wish the solution was replacing the pipes, but we won’t stand in the way of refurbishing.” – Claudia McKeon, Stonegate Road resident.