Environmental Council Hears from Department of Public Health by Diane Stock

Tylerville’s groundwater contamination problems were again the main topic of discussion at the June meeting of the State Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). In the last Bulletin we reported that the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) gave a presentation to the CEQ in May, with a goal of explaining how DEP handles longstanding cases of pollution like this one. Last month the CEQ heard from the Department of Public Health (DPH) regarding their response to the problem.
Lori Mathieu, Public Health Services Manager for the Drinking Water Section at DPH, led the presentation by the seven DPH staff members in attendance.
She stated that DPH was committed to finding a permanent solution to the problem, and that in their opinion, the best option for Tylerville is to bring public water from Chester. Mathieu stated that the placement of new wells in Tylerville (such as a new public well that could supply water to the residents and businesses along Bridge Street and Little Meadow Road) is problematic because the extent of the current contamination is poorly known.
(Full Article)

Two Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR) interviews by Nancy Eve Cohen, one with Bob and Sharon Botelle and the other with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), which aired on July 29th, are available here:
29 Years of Contaminated Water, and here: Environmental Council To Rell

Economic Development Commission Endorses Wastewater System for Higganum Center

At their July 14 regular meeting, the economic Development Commission (EDC) unanimously recommended that the Board of Selectmen solicits proposals for the design of a wastewater treatment system to serve Higganum Village. The vote came on the heels of a feasibility report commissioned by the town of Haddam and published by the engineering firm of Wright-Pierce.
Since 1999, there have been at least six engineering studies to assess water and wastewater issues and to evaluate options that would allow for more intensive commercial development in Higganum Center.
The latest report summarizes the evaluation of the technical issues and costs associated with the construction of a
sewer collection system for Higganum Village. The intent was to provide a comparison of costs and issues between connecting to the Middletown sewer system versus constructing a local wastewater treatment system.
Based on the report, a sewer connection to Middletown is technically feasible, would have reasonable annual user fees (not including debt retirement), and Middletown is agreeable to the concept. However, the estimated construction cost for this system is $9.4 million, substantially higher than originally envisioned. This is due to a variety of factors, namely the total length of the force main; a large elevation head pressure and long force main requiring a multi-stage pumping system; stream and river crossings; road paving and traffic control requirements.
For the local wastewater treatment option, estimated 2011 construction costs range from $4.5 million to $6.6 million depending on the sewer collection option (gravity or low pressure system). Annual operating and maintenance costs would range from $61,000 to $78,000.
The proposed sewer service area includes nine properties in the “North” Higganum Village and twenty-five in Higganum Village (center). At this time, the Haddam Elementary School’s septic disposal system has the capacity to meet the school’s future demand, and as a result RSD 17 is not considering a tie in to any new system.
In their final analysis, Wright-Pierce concluded that both the sewer connection to Middletown and the wastewater treatment options are very expensive, especially when considering the relatively low number of properties served and low flow rates. However they indicated that, based on the updated costs estimates, the waste water treatment option was the less expensive one, but per property unit costs would still be very high.
According to the engineering firm, if a larger sewer service area could be identified, or if the Rossi property was developed, the increased number of potential customers and impact on economic development could possible justify either option.
Their final recommendation was for EDC to evaluate the long- term economical potential of a sewer system in the center to determine if there was a justification for the town to proceed to the next steps.

Letter to the Editor
A Note to the Residents of Haddam

As most of you know, my husband Dick passed away in June this year. We have lived in Haddam for many years, having purchased the Kelsey House on Main Street (now Saybrook Road) in 1964. Haddam has been home for the two of us.
Dick taught at Wesleyan University and later at Long Island University. He loved sailing in the area and had a commercial fishing interest for a while. He loved his garden. He wrote here and he established a small publishing company, Higganum Hills Books. Haddam was always his home base. And, it has also been the center of my world.
And now, I really know why.
There are a great many things that have kept us here and that I continue to love. Among them are: each new season as it arises; the hills, the trees, the granite, the Connecticut River, all of the physical attributes so special to the area; our old house with its white picket fence and red front door; the history of our adopted town, and the sharing of its stories with others; teaching in the area schools and having former students say hello; the people we’ve met and with whom we share so many interests.
We have had great respect for, and I continue to admire, the people who work for the town and also those volunteers who give their time and efforts to look out for our health, safety and well-being. I love my many friends and my neighbors. And, while I enjoy visiting our families in California, I always love returning to Higganum Hill.
During the last several months, and again in the last few weeks, there has been such a wonderful outpouring of help and support for Dick and for me, from the Hospice Unit at Middlesex Hospital, from the Haddam Volunteer Ambulance Society, from Haddam Public Health and from so many, many individuals and local groups.
I want to thank each one of you, and I want you to know that I respect and appreciate the deeds of each of you to help make our lives comfortable. Your efforts make Haddam such a great place to live!
Marge DeBold, Higganum