741 Colonel Ledyard Highway

Ledyard, Connecticut 06339

TOWN OF LEDYARD

Water Pollution Control Authority

Meeting Minutes

Chairman

Ed Lynch

Regular Meeting

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

6:30 PM

Council Chambers - Hybrid

CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Lynch called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m.

II.

ROLL CALL

Board Member Terry Jones

Present

Board Member Stanley Juber

Board Member Monir Tewfik

Board Member Sharon Wadecki

Board Member Edmond Lynch

Alternate Member Jeremy Norris

Alternate Member Tony Capon

Alternate Member James A. Ball

Non-voting

Also in attendance:

Mauricio Duarte, GU General Foreman Water Operations.

III.

IV.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

RESIDENTS & PROPERTY OWNERS COMMENTS

The residents came to the meeting at 7:00 p.m. because they did not realize that the WPCA

meetings have been changed to 6:30 p.m. Chairman Lynch allowed them to speak although this

agenda item occurred earlier in the meeting.

Dave Holdridge, 29 Church Hill Road, said that Holdridge Home and Garden owns 34 acres and

has been waiting for sewers to come to Ledyard Center for decades. He addressed the authority

regarding potential development in Ledyard Center and asked how to connect to the sewer line.

Chairman Lynch said that he would need to start with letting the Authority know how much

usage he is requesting. Ms. Wadecki added that the sewer will have capacity limits. Mr.

Holdridge asked about the timing of the project. Chairman Lynch said that Phase I (line to the

High School) will be complete this summer (2024), Phase II (developer lines) will be complete

in the fall (2024), Phase III (installing a 5" line) will be completed at the same time as Phase I.

Mr. Ball explained that after Phase I there will be only one spot on Route 117 to hook into but

after the Phase II there would be two, possibly even three spots.

Paul Illiano, 3 Doyle Road, Waterford, owner of Valentino’s building and the house next door to

it, inquired if it was possible that he could connect both buildings and if so when. It was

answered yes and most likely the fall (2024). Chairman Lynch suggested to Mr. Illiano that he

speaks with Ledge Light Health District to follow their process. Chairman Lynch also

recommend that he speaks with a professional plumber to design the pump system. Mr. Illiano

asked if the house and the restaurant can share a connection. It was recommended by the

Authority to keep the connections separate.

REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Motion to APPROVE Public Hearing Meeting Minutes from April 23, 2024, as written.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Edmond Lynch

RESULT:

MOVER:

Sharon Wadecki

SECONDER:

Jones Juber Tewfik Wadecki Lynch

AYE

Motion to APPROVE Regular Meeting Minutes from April 23, 2024, as written.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Terry Jones

RESULT:

MOVER:

Sharon Wadecki

SECONDER:

Jones Juber Tewfik Wadecki Lynch

AYE

VI.

COMMUNICATIONS AND CORRESPONDENCE

Operations Report.

Mr. Duarte has agreed to create a six-week report to keep the monthly operations reports in sync

with the monthly WCPA meetings. After the initial six-week report the reports will run from the

16th of the previous month to the 15th of the current month.

Another fire hydrant was replaced, this time on Shewville Road.

Monthly testing was completed, and results are within the normal range. Work is continuing to

reduce THMs in the Gales Ferry and Ledyard Center systems. Routine system maintenance and

repairs were undertaken. Groton Utilities is preparing for 2023 CCR for Ledyard and Gales

Ferry. Groton Utilities continues to monitor the Multi Use Trail/Sewer Installation project in

Ledyard Center.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Service Correspondence.

Aged Reports/Finance.

There was a question about monthly income and how usual the information reported is. The

reports are a snapshot in time and are only helpful when the reports are run at the end of the

fiscal year. The income and expenses are in different time frames. The WPCA also doesn't know

exactly how much water is bought vs. sold. Mr. Jones said that the WPCA "still doesn't have

satisfactory management reports".

ACTION ITEM:

Chairman Lynch will ask Ian Stammel, Assistant Finance Director for reformatting of reports.

He will also ask Tina Daniels, Groton Utilities Customer Service General Manager if she could

provide reports of the amount of water bought from GU and the amount of water the Authority

bills for. It would be helpful to know when the flushing occurs and whether the losses are

increasing or decreasing.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Year to Date Water/Sewer Report.

PSR - Steve Banks.

Chairman Lynch said the big items are the design and installation of the drum thickener

automation at a cost of $30,000.00, a 70-kW generator for $60,000.00 and lastly a

spectrophotometer for $6,900.00.

Praestol 133 is not an effective polymer for the facility. After further testing with Polymer it was

decided to change from to Praestol 133 to Univar on a trial basis. Flows are steadily decreasing

and ABW filters are back online. The revised quote from Weston & Sampson for Phase III has

been received. This also includes project oversight. Started looking for alternative pricing for

potassium hydroxide. Univar costs have risen significantly over the last few years. This chemical

addition became necessary after the change from the Loftus Aquifer to G.U. surface water

several years ago. Low alkalinity/PH in basins is being addressed. All parts of the Stenner

chemical pump have been changed out.

Chairman Lynch said although missing from the report, the pumps will need to be replaced at

Lakeside.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Correspondence from Eric Treaster.

Chairman Lynch responded to an email from Mr. Treaster regarding sewer system capacity and

potential multi-family housing in Ledyard Center.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Weston and Sampson signed contract for Phase III.

Weston and Sampson and Mayor Fred Allyn III have signed the engineering addendum contract

for Phase III.

VII. OLD BUSINESS

Water Report Review continued.

Mr. Ball discussed his work on analyzing the data for a new water rate structure. He said the

dates seem to be in fiscal year format. His goal will be to create one large list, then an average

usage and lastly a breakout for residential vs. commercial use. The main focus will be on

residential. There are a few anomalies that he is investigating. He also noted that there are still

some un-metered users, some flat rates that show that there are meters, and some listed as "no

size". One of them is Ocean State Job Lot the other is listed as "RMI000" which is also on Route

12 with the same address as Job Lot.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Review of Trail/Sewer line bids continued.

Chairman Lynch said he was getting a bit concerned about the blasting being estimated properly

but it appears to be within budget.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Lead Survey Review and Grant Submittal.

A Project Eligibility Grant Application has been successfully submitted to the Department of

Public Health. The Authority is awaiting review and approval of the application.

Chairman Lynch will try to attend some of the Lead Survey monthly meetings.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

Any Other Old Business to come before the Authority.

Chairman Lynch mentioned that the Authority's Water rate increase was approved by the Town

Council. He added that the Council made a comment about the WPCA possibly having to spend

the contingency on lead survey costs over the next five years.

DISCUSSED

RESULT:

VIII. NEW BUSINESS

Motion to APPROVE payment to the Day Paper for Order Number #d01076994, in the amount

of $1066.75 for the Water Rate Increase Public Hearing Notice published on April 11, 2024.

It was mentioned that the next time there is a rate increase maybe the table could be referred to

but not printed in order to reduce the Day Paper announcement charges.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Edmond Lynch

RESULT:

MOVER:

Sharon Wadecki

SECONDER:

Jones Juber Tewfik Wadecki Lynch

AYE

Motion to APPROVE payment to Groton Utilities, invoice #0024011, dated April 30, 2024, in

the amount of $7,860.95, for emergency services ($204.70) and cost-of-study services

($7,656.25).

It was noted there was a typo, it should be "cost-of-services", not "cost-of-study".

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Edmond Lynch

RESULT:

MOVER:

Sharon Wadecki

SECONDER:

Jones Juber Tewfik Wadecki Lynch

AYE

Motion to APPROVE payment to Groton Utilities, invoice #0023861, dated January 31, 2024, in

the amount of $1,771.56, for lead inventory.

Ms. Wadecki questioned why the WPCA is receiving a bill dated in January in May.

ACTION ITEM:

Chairman Lynch will ask Finance why the invoice was received late.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Edmond Lynch

RESULT:

MOVER:

Sharon Wadecki

SECONDER:

Jones Juber Tewfik Wadecki Lynch

AYE

Motion to APPROVE payment to Weston & Sampson invoice #5241323, dated May 21, 2024,

in the amount of $16,605.00, for Phase III Sewer line upgrade.

Ms. Wadecki asked why it costs $137,000 to place a small line above another line when there is

no ledge rock or wetlands present.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Edmond Lynch

RESULT:

MOVER:

Terry Jones

SECONDER:

Jones Juber Tewfik Lynch

Wadecki

AYE

NAY

Motion to APPROVE payment to Weston & Samson invoice #4241190, dated April 8, 2024, in

the amount of $9850.00, for Phase III Sewer line upgrade.

It was noted that this invoice is for professional services through March 29, 2024, which is part

of Phase I not Phase III.

ACTION ITEM:

Chairman Lynch will ask Weston & Samson for an explanation of the charges

TABLED

RESULT:

Sharon Wadecki

Stanley Juber

MOVER:

SECONDER:

Jones Juber Tewfik Wadecki Lynch

AYE

Any Other New Business to come before the Authority.

Mr. Duarte presented an invoice from Groton utilities that needed approval.

Motion to APPROVE payment to Groton Utilities invoice #0168369, dated March 21,2024, in

the amount of $6,215.00, for meters.

APPROVED AND SO DECLARED

Edmond Lynch

RESULT:

MOVER:

Sharon Wadecki

SECONDER:

Jones Juber Tewfik Wadecki Lynch

AYE

IX.

ADJOURNMENT

Motion to ADJOURN the Regular Meeting at 7:52 p.m.