For minutes prior to January 2004, please contact Judy Archer of Public Works
at 203-854-7791 or jarcher@norwalkct.org

CITY OF NORWALK
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AUTHORITY
MARCH 10, 2008

Attendance: Mayor Moccia
John Atkin, Chairman
Jim McInerney, Vice Chairman
Fred Wilms
Darren Oustafine
Frederika Bikakis-Hajian
Andrew Conroy
Lewis Clark

Staff: Hal Alvord, DPW Public Works Director
Tom Hamilton, Finance Director
Ralph Kolb, DPW Waste Water Programs Manager

Others: Kevin Dahl, CH2M Hill OMI
Dominick DiSalvo, Malcolm Pirnie
Catherine Mallon, Malcolm Pirnie

1. CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Atkin called the meeting to order at 5:35PM

2. APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM WPCA MEETING HELD ON FEBRUARY 11, 2008 (COPY INCLUDED)
Mr. McInerney said on Page 3, Item 5b, Line 14, to change “funded” to “funding”
Mr. McInerney said on Page 4, Item 5b, Line 2, to change “and now with the WWTP upgrade” to “it may now be included in the WWTP upgrade”
Mr. McInerney said on Page 4, Item 5b, Line 3, to change “he” to “she”
Mr. McInerney said on Page 7, Item 6b1, Paragraph 2, Line 6, to change “redemption” to “remediation”
** MR. MCINERNEY MOVED TO APPROVE THE ITEM WITH CORRECTIONS
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

3. SCHEDULE PUBLIC HEARING FOR PROPOSED FY 2008-09 SEWER USE RATES ON APRIL 14, 2008 AT 5:30 PM (DRAFT NOTICE INCLUDED)

** MR. CONROY MOVED TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE PROPOSED
FY2008-09 SEWER RATES ON APRIL 14, 2008 AT 5:30PM
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

4. AUTHORIZE THE CHAIRMAN OR VICE CHAIRMAN TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH MALCOLM PIRNIE, INC. IN THE AMOUNT OF $132,000.00 TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSES OF THE TREATED SOLIDS LOSS FROM THE CITY OF NORWALK WWTP IN ACCORDANCE WITH SCOPE OF WORK DATED MARCH 07, 2008 (COPY INCLUDED, REPRESENTATIVE FROM MALCOLM PIRNIE TO ATTEND)
ACCOUNT NO. 224062 5298

Mr. Alvord said that there have been a number of treated solids losses and that there have been a number of experts from both Malcolm Pirnie and OMI’s parent headquarters investigating the WWTP and have been unable to determine the cause of or explain. He said this scope of work will also look at the non-treatable nitrogen and said there is a certain level of nitrogen that comes into the WWPT that cannot be removed with the current process. Mayor Moccia asked if this would lock us into trying to remove the non-treatable nitrogen. Mr. Alvord said “no” and it does not change the limits of the permit but if there is a way to remove the nitrogen we would want to do that because we are now in the process of the WWTP upgrade and that can be incorporated into the upgrade and said if all or some portion of the non treated nitrogen can be eliminated it would enhance our position to sell credits down the line. Mr. McInerney asked if Stamford has discovered what non-biodegradable nitrogen is or where it is coming from. Mr. DiSalvo said where it is coming from has not yet been established. Mr. Dahl said that Stamford that has been focusing on the testing method and how to determine the level of nitrogen that goes out to the river for the last couple of years.
* MAYOR MOCCIA MOVED TO APPROVE THE ITEM
** MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

5. AUTHORIZE THE CHAIRMAN OR VICE CHAIRMAN TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE SEPTEMBER 29, 2005 AGREEMENT WITH CAMP DRESSER & MCKEE, INC. IN THE AMOUNT OF $56,500 TO INCLUDE GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCOPE OF WORK DATED MARCH 5, 2008. (COPY INCLUDED)
Account No. 0907 – 4062 – 5777 – CO359

Mr. Kolb said the CDM has presented a scope for phase one of the CSO wet weather treatment facilities project location and said this would be in addition to the original geotech from the 1970 and the 1999 WWTP upgrade reports. He said this is the first step in moving forward with the CSO project and the scope of work includes three soil borings, field analysis, and a report. Mr. Wilms asked if this was a phase one or phase two environmental assessment. Mr. Alvord said it is not and this is to determine the stability of the subsurface and would determine how far down the pilings would need to be placed to support the new structure. Mr. McInerney asked if a time frame would be included into this agreement as well as the agreement with Malcolm Pirnie. Mr. Kolb said that a time frame would be included in the contract. Mr. Oustafine asked if it is necessary to know the metal components and the total hydo-carbons. Mr. Alvord said it is necessary because during the 1999 upgrade a decision was made to stockpile excavated material at the site to avoid the disposal cost which was approximately $3 million dollars at the time and now with the upgrade of the WWTP it would probably cost approximately $8 million dollars and that is why he is concerned about what the contaminant make up is as well as the sub surface conditions.

**MR. CONROY MOVED TO APPROVE THE ITEM
**MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY

6. Reports

a. FY07-08 Revenues/Expenditures Report (report included)
Mr. Kolb said the sewer payment has been received from the Town of Wilton. Mr. Conroy asked what percent of sewer use fees have not been collected. Mr. Hamilton said the collection rate on the sewer use fee is just under the collection rate of property taxes and is approximately 98.4% collected. Mr. Conroy asked what is done when the non-collectables are received. Mr. Hamilton said it goes back to the WPCA and is booked as revenue and that the collections from interest on delinquent accounts are approximately $52,000 to date.

b. Sewer Connection Fee & Sewer Use Bill Appeals/Adjustments

1. Special Billing Update
Mr. Kolb said a notice had gone out to approximately 500 parcels to which we currently have no water consumption data for and have received approximately 100 letters back with the consumption data. He said the due date on the letter was February 13, 2008. He said that the data will be compiled and sent to the Finance Department and they will be sending out the final bills along with a notice explaining the appeal process. Mayor Moccia asked if most of these were private homes or businesses. Mr. Kolb said they are all commercial or mixed-use properties. Mr. Alvord said these are all the accounts that the First District Water Department refused to give water consumption data for because the business was listed under a personal name.

2. Status Update
Mr. Kolb said that $96,431 in adjustments have been made to date and anticipates after the special billing that number will increase.

3. Act on revised 80 Fair Street connection
Mr. Kolb said following the original sewer connection fee was waived, the engineer for this project recalculated the water meter size and have determined a 2” meter would be required instead of the original 1-1 /2” meter. Mayor Moccia said he requested that Mr. Kolb put this item back on the agenda because the waiver was based on the 1-1/2 “ meter. He said this developer came in and bailed out Human Services and the Redevelopment Agency and said these units would first be offered to City of Norwalk employees who meet the income guideline requirements. Chairman Atkin asked what the monetary difference is for the sewer connection fee between the two-meter sizes. Mr. Kolb said approximately $10,000. Mr. Wilms said there is an incredible amount of community benefits associated with this project.

** MR. WILMS MOVED TO APPROVE THE ITEM
** MOTION PASSED
** ONE ABSTENSION- MR. OUSTAFINE

c. Information Copies:
1. Draft FY08-09 Operating & Capital Budgets (copies included)
No discussion.

7. CONTRACT OPERATIONS REPORT

a. Public Works Director Report:
1. Contract Operations Status
Mr. Kolb said that Malcolm Pirnie had visited the WWTP and pump stations for their annual inspection.

2. Odor Issues
Mr. Kolb said there has been no recent complaints received. He also said that within the last two months, OMI, Inc., has added sodium permanganate, which reduces the hydrogen sulphide in the sludge. He said the wet scrubber is now operational but that there are still some modifications to be done and that Wright Pierce would be assisting OMI, Inc. Mr. Wilms asked what safety measures are in place for the handling of the sodium permanganate. Mr. Dahl said that extensive training had been conducted

3. Middletown-Norwalk 345kV project - Main Street
Mr. Kolb said there is a very large and old brick sewer along the route that Northeast Utilities is running their transmission line along. He wanted to inform the Board that if there is a mishap as far as the sewer getting damaged that the contractor has a back up plan in place. Chairman Atkin asked if Bond Brothers did not line that section would they be liable in future years’. Mr. Alvord said they would if it could be proven that their work had caused the damage. He said the contractor that will be performing the work in Bond Brothers Construction and that they are a very reputable company.

4. Interlocal Agreement with Town of Westport Update
Mr. Alvord said he had a discussion with Steve Edwards who is the Director of Public Works in Westport and said that the Westport WPCA is not interested at this point and time on executing an interlocal agreement.

a. OMI Report
1. Monthly Operating Report – January 2008 (copy included)
Mr. Dahl said on January 7, 2008, they had been on storm flow for approximately thirty minutes and over the weekend due to the rain had peaked to about 34 mgd which pushes the WWTP to the maximum but said there were no treated solid loss events. He said there were a number of performance guarantees in January but there were no permit violations other than the treated solids losses.

2. Collection System and Pump Station MRR Accounts (copy included)
Mr. Dahl said the cleaning and videoing of the collection system is ongoing and he will provide an update of the entire system next month. He said there are currently two positions that have been posted and have selected people for those positions who are currently in the hiring process. He said there were no safety instances in January. He said the total nitrogen performance far surpassed what the model had predicted for this time of the year. He said on January 23, 2008, that the DEP and Aquiculture came to the WWTP to review the issues in the final settling tanks.

8. DISCUSSION ON CHANGING THE SCHEDULE OF THE MONTHLY WPCA MEETINGS

Chairman Atkin said he would like to table the idea of pushing the meetings later in the month which would then give OMI, Inc. the ability to give the previous months report rather that two months. Mr. Alvord said from a scheduling standpoint the room is available on both the 3rd and 4th Mondays of the month.

** CHAIRMAN ATKIN SAID EFFECTIVE MAY 19, 2008 THE WPCA MEETINGS WILL BE HELD ON THE THIRD MONDAY OF THE MONTH AT 5:30PM

Chairman Atkin said this would be Mr. McInerney’s last meeting after six years with the WPCA and he would like to recognize all the hard work, input, and expertise that he has provided. Mayor Moccia said he would like to extend his best wishes to Mr. McInerney.

9. ACTION ON ANY ITEM DISCUSSED HEREIN
No discussion

10. ADJOURNMENT

** MR. WILMS MOVED TO ADJOURN
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
The meeting adjourned at 6:20PM

Respectfully Submitted,

Dilene Byrd

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