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Berlin hears good news on grant subsidy for coastal project and schedules PFAS testing; pump-station rehab remains costly
Summary
Commissioners received a report that a $927,000 loan is moving through the system with a 25% subsidy ($231,750) reducing the town’s cash need, discussed a separate $400,000–$500,000 tank project eligible for 25% reimbursement, and reviewed PFAS testing and a large pump-station rehab estimated at $5–9 million.
Commissioners heard multiple project updates including a potential short-term loan, grant subsidy, a separate tank project, and routine and regulatory testing.
The chair told the commission a coastal project contractor out of Clinton, Connecticut walked the proposed work and that a loan of $927,000 “is working its way through the system.” The commission was told a 25% subsidy was awarded, equal to $231,750, which the chair described as grant money Berlin can use immediately; that subsidy reduces Berlin’s net project exposure to roughly under $700,000, though the commission expects to pursue SRF financing to complete the work.
A separate application for a tank (described in the transcript as a 'lamentation tank') was approved; commissioners estimated the project at roughly $400,000–$500,000 and said it could also qualify for a 25% reimbursement if the grant holds. The chair said the tank work would extend service life decades if funded.
The commission also reviewed a Berlin pump-station flow-metering and renovation need the chair characterized as a significant capital project with an estimated cost of $5–9 million. The chair said Berlin cannot commit to starting that work until Worthington and Kensington commit to percentage shares; he suggested Kensington 50%, Worthington 25% and Berlin 25% as a starting point for discussion.
On regulatory and compliance issues, the chair reported that the Health Department requires PFAS testing and that Berlin has completed one set of tests and plans another in July and a follow-up in December to meet the roughly 5–7 month interval; annual PFAS testing is slated to start in 2027. The chair also flagged a DEP proposal to regulate hydrants statewide, which several members said seems unexpected and lacks a local rationale related to documented fish kills or contamination.
No formal capital-commitment votes on the pump-station renovation occurred at the meeting; the council asked staff to obtain engineering reports and shared-cost commitments before bringing a financing plan forward.
