HARTFORD – Charles P. Sheehan, Metropolitan District Commission Chief Executive Officer, announced today that he will recommend that the District’s commissioners approve a consent decree with state and federal regulators over the elimination of sewer overflows caused by excessive infiltration of ground water and inflow of storm water into the MDC’s sanitary sewer system.

“We have worked very well with the federal Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Justice and Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection in developing this comprehensive plan and its schedule,” said Mr. Sheehan. “We greatly appreciate their support and expertise in developing a solution to this complex problem, which has historical roots,” he said.

            Mr. Sheehan indicated that eliminating sanitary sewer overflows will be a massive undertaking, but the MDC already has taken steps in addressing them.

Sanitary sewer overflows were purposely built into the system decades ago to serve as relief points to protect basements from flooding and to prevent the sewage treatment plant from being inundated. At the time they were accepted means of handling excessive “inflow and infiltration,” or seepage of ground water into the sewer pipes through leaking joints, direct connections, breaks and cracks caused by tree roots, and surface water storm drains and holes in manholes. Other major sources are rain leaders from gutters and basement sump pumps that illegally discharge into the sanitary sewer system. When the flow of sewage and clean water exceeds the sewer’s capacity, the sewage discharges at eight overflow points into adjacent streams.  Of the eight overflows, two each are in West Hartford, Newington and Wethersfield, while Rocky Hill and Windsor each have one.

Sanitary sewer overflows are not permitted under current environmental regulations.

Under the terms of the consent agreement, the MDC is required to eliminate the overflows in Windsor, Wethersfield and Rocky Hill within seven years. Because of the complexity of the condition in West Hartford and Newington, overflows there must be eliminated in 12 years.

“Eliminating the inflow and infiltration will require extensive inspection and analysis of more than 700 miles of sewers, consisting of TV inspections, smoke testing and flow monitoring to identify and locate sources of extraneous water entering the sewers,” said Mr. Sheehan. “This investigation will be followed by rehabilitation and repair work, consisting of pipe lining and replacement, manhole repairs and disconnecting private property sump pumps and rain leaders. The improvements will also require constructing new sanitary and storm sewers,” he said.

            The MDC already has completed smoke testing the system in Newington and found that the most of the inflow was due to illegally connected private sources. Other survey work has been completed in the communities involved, and more than $5 million in repair contract work is due to get under way this spring. 

Sheehan estimated the total cost of the work could be as much as $250 million and added that the work was also necessary to reduce flows to the Hartford combined sewer system – an important element in the success of the $671 million program to address that historical condition.

 “Although this is a very aggressive program, the repair and modernization of this infrastructure is critical to abate pollution to our communities’ rivers and streams and, ultimately, the Connecticut River,” he said.

Mr. Sheehan said that the consent agreement carries a penalty of $850,000, which will be shared evenly by state and federal governments, with the state share being used for supplemental environmental projects. He will present the proposed agreement to the MDC Board of Finance, Bureau of Public Works and full Board for their approval. “In light of the extent and age of the problem, the penalty is very reasonable,” Mr. Sheehan said.

                        A non-profit municipal corporation chartered by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1929, the MDC supplies water and sewer services to its eight member municipalities:  Bloomfield, East Hartford, Hartford, Newington, Rocky Hill, West Hartford, Wethersfield and Windsor -- and to portions of other towns in the region.

            The MDC also owns and operates two hydroelectric power facilities on the Farmington River, one at the Goodwin Dam in Hartland and one at the Colebrook River Dam in Colebrook.

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