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Richmond explores new pump station sites as FEMA buyout clouds one option; plant reports strong septage intake
Summary
Commissioners reviewed alternative pump station locations after FEMA indicated it will not permit subdividing a buyout parcel, leaving the town to seek alternate sites; the superintendent reported winter preparations at the plant and unusually high septage intake in October.
The Richmond Water & Sewer Commission on Nov. 3 discussed several options to relocate a pump station as part of a broader waterline project, and received a superintendent report detailing plant maintenance and high septage volume.
Staff said one promising pump-station parcel is under a FEMA buyout application and FEMA’s initial response was that it would not allow subdividing the parcel to create a municipal parcel for the pump station. That preliminary answer removes one site from immediate consideration and prompted commissioners to ask staff to follow up with FEMA and to ask engineers to prepare alternate sketches for other sites, keeping the current pump station location and a nearby option on the table.
John, the homeowner whose property was discussed as a potential site, said he and his spouse would like to see concrete plans and understand tradeoffs; commissioners agreed to loop him in as staff develops designs.
In the superintendent’s operations report (delivered by Bob), staff said winter preparations were complete — aeration diffusers replaced, clarifiers drained and cleaned — and crew repaired a failed dewatering screw quickly and installed an overload switch. The superintendent recommended budgeting to replace a worn screw (estimated $2,000–$4,000) and reported October septage intake at roughly 750,000 gallons, with potential to exceed 800,000 gallons if the plant had not been briefly offline.
Public commenter Mary Hull urged commissioners to remember the plant was sized anticipating industrial inflows and said the current septage volume remains manageable without additional infrastructure purchases. Commissioners asked staff to continue planning while seeking FEMA clarification and to provide the homeowners and neighbors more concrete engineering drawings at a future meeting.
