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Town told by DEP to issue special permit; planning board to rewrite sewer ordinance to meet EPA standards
Summary
Town staff reported DEP-directed special-permit action for a local industrial user lacking pretreatment; planning staff will rewrite sewer ordinance to include fines, clearer strength/volume definitions and updated fees.
Town staff told the boards Wednesday that the Maine Department of Environmental Protection has directed the town to issue a special permit to address industrial discharges from a local user lacking pretreatment.
Why it matters: Officials said the existing sewer ordinance is insufficiently specific about industrial-strength discharges and associated fees; the DEP directed the town to hold users monetarily responsible for violations to protect the wastewater collection system and the treatment plant.
What staff said: Town staff and outside engineering counsel have prepared a draft special permit to meet an immediate DEP requirement while they work on a fuller rewrite of the sewer-use ordinance. The revision will separate residential, commercial and industrial definitions, tighten strength and volume thresholds, add enforceable fines and modernize hookup and tap fees that staff said are decades out of date.
Timeline: Staff requested permission to proceed with a rewrite and to present draft ordinance language to the planning board in March, so the town can review it before the next town meeting cycle. The boards were warned that the ordinance rewrite may change fee structures and create new enforcement authorities.
Next steps: Staff will prepare a draft ordinance and special-permit language, coordinate legal and engineering review, and schedule public hearings as required. The boards agreed that DEP direction made timely revision necessary to avoid potential fines or enforcement actions against the town’s wastewater permit.
