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Charlton commission asks engineers to study sewer impact after developer seeks hookup for 168‑unit project
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Summary
At its Aug. 6 meeting the Town of Charlton Water and Sewer Commission voted to ask staff to obtain formal, written quotes from two engineering firms to study whether a conceptual 168‑unit development between City Depot and Jay Davis Road can be accommodated by the town's sewer system. The developer estimated roughly 37,000 gallons per day; commissioners said they lack the studies and capacity accounting to decide tonight.
At the Water and Sewer Commission's Aug. 6, 2025 meeting, a developer seeking to tie a proposed 168‑unit residential development into Charlton's municipal sewer system prompted the commission to request formal engineering assessments before granting any connection approvals.
'My name is Michael Lassela' Michael Lassela, a professional engineer with Topperland Survey representing Rock Bay Realty, told the commission the project is in an early conceptual stage and that sewer demand would be roughly "37,000" gallons per day for the full build-out of about 168 units. He said the team sought preliminary guidance from the commission before spending on final designs and state filings.
Commissioners and staff stressed the town's moratorium and treatment limits make an immediate decision impossible. "I'm not able to say we can accept your 37,000 gallons," a committee member said, noting the plant lacks a current plan, budget and contractor to expand secondary treatment. Consultants and staff described the RBCs and biological secondary processes as the limiting systems and said Wright‑Pierce's Headworks design work is on hold.
The commission discussed mitigation approaches the developer could include in design documents, such as onsite pretreatment or phased construction. Vinny, the town's wastewater consultant, said the project could help turnover a large drinking water tank and suggested pretreatment options—"we could ask them to put in a split chamber tank so there'd be no rags, no grit coming into our system," he said—while acknowledging choices have cost and operability tradeoffs.
Commissioners also noted a potential capacity change if the Mass Pike rest‑area tenant (McDonald's) does not renew; staff said MassDOT issued a broad RFP for rest‑area upgrades and timelines are uncertain. The commission said it needs concrete load analyses — including scenarios with and without the rest‑area tenant — before amending or lifting the moratorium for large users.
On a recorded voice vote the commission instructed staff to solicit budgetary quotes from two firms, Chris McClure and Wright‑Pierce, for formal written reports estimating the development's impact and the cost and timeline to address the town's treatment shortfall. The motion passed by voice vote.
Next steps: staff will obtain two written proposals and return estimates and scopes at a later meeting; the commission did not grant any connection or permitting approvals for the project that night.
