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Windsor Locks WPCA raises sewer connection fee to $6,000, creates dedicated capital line
Summary
On Feb. 10, 2026 the Town of Windsor Locks Water Pollution Control Authority voted to raise sewer connection fees from $4,500 to $6,000 for separate units and for hotels/motels, and established a separate capital account to hold connection-fee revenue for plant upgrades; commissioners also approved financial reports and refunds and tabled an MOU with the Tax Department.
The Town of Windsor Locks Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) voted Feb. 10 to raise its sewer connection fee from $4,500 to $6,000 for separately saleable, rentable or transferable units and to apply the same $6,000 fee to hotels and motels. Commissioner Jim Cannon moved to increase the per-unit fee; Commissioner Jacob LaValley seconded the motion, which passed 6–0. Commissioners also voted to create a separate capital line to hold connection-fee revenue for plant upgrades; that motion passed 5–0 after Commissioner Daniel Flanagan left the meeting.
The change follows a discussion during new business in which WPCA Superintendent Tom Arnone recommended that any fee increase for new connections also apply to hotels and motels so the charges remain aligned across residential, commercial and lodging categories. Arnone told commissioners the plant is performing above state permit requirements and outlined capital needs, saying future connection fees should be directed toward plant updates rather than the town’s general budget. "If the commissioners decide to increase the sewer connection fees, it needs to also be increased on the hotels/motels," Arnone said during the report.
Public comments at the start of the meeting urged caution. Michael Ciarcia, a resident of Meg Way, asked commissioners to review a revised agreement between the town Finance Department and the WPCA before changes take effect. Joe Calsetta of Orchard Hill Drive said raising the fee to $6,000 would be "a huge jump" for current projects and recommended keeping the fee at $4,500.
The commission’s vote on the fee increase included a companion motion by Commissioner Jim Cannon — adopted later in the meeting — to create a distinct capital line item so connection fees earmarked for sewer-plant upgrades would be tracked separately. Commissioner Robert E. Crochetiere seconded that motion; the tally was 5–0.
The meeting also addressed routine business and budget items. Commissioners approved financial reports A–E for December 2025 by a 6–0 vote, noting an investment reinvested at a higher yield. A separate motion to approve two current-year refunds totaling $2,610.13 passed 5–0. The proposed memorandum of understanding between the Tax Department and the WPCA was tabled at Superintendent Arnone’s request so a draft can be prepared and the incoming Finance Director can be consulted.
During his superintendent’s report, Arnone said the plant’s February monthly averages included a flow of 1.16 (million gallons per day implied by internal reporting), biological oxygen demand and suspended solids removals at 98 percent, and nitrogen removal at about 56 pounds (maximum observed 66 pounds). He reported ongoing work on ARPA-funded projects such as a sewer disconnect and the recent delivery and planned installation of a screw conveyor and screw press; the WPCA is soliciting pricing for electrical hookups and plans in-house work complemented by contracted welding and electrical labor. Arnone also said the WPCA has been added to the town planning and zoning notification list to better track new developments, and praised staff response to equipment icing during subzero weather.
What happened next: the commission tabled action on the Tax Department MOU to allow staff time to draft the agreement and consult the incoming Finance Director. The meeting adjourned at 6:34 PM.
