Middletown reports I&I progress, lead service‑line inventory plan and upcoming well‑field test

Middletown water and sewer staff told the Water Pollution Control Authority they have made measurable progress on sewer cleaning and inflow‑and‑infiltration (I&I) work, described a new lead service‑line inventory effort and previewed near‑term operations work including a whole‑well‑field test.

Chief Engineer Brian Robillard summarized engineering progress and projects, saying crews cleaned 39 miles of sewer piping in the past year and about 159 miles over a five‑year period as part of a five‑year rotating cleaning schedule. He said contractors and staff are preparing to rehab 125 manholes beginning July 22 and continue slip‑lining and main repairs in multiple streets.

Deputy Director Theresa reviewed customer‑facing changes and regulatory work. Quarterly billing will begin Aug. 1, she said, with postcards and website notices to customers and expanded payment options (drop‑off at 82 Berlin St., tax office and online). “About 8,500 homes are now collected remotely,” Theresa said, referencing an automated gateway that allows many meter reads to be performed without site visits. On regulatory work, she said federal and state requirements mean the department must submit a material inventory for service lines to the Department of Public Health; staff hired Kleinfelder to conduct outreach and inspections for homes built before 1951 and asked residents to respond by Oct. 1 to avoid on‑site inspection by staff.

Staff described an incident in which construction activity on Route 9 (a Middlesex Construction project) inadvertently damaged a sewer line and filled the line with stone and debris. "They were drilling . . . a dewatering hole . . . and they poke through our sewer line," Director Fizzino said; crews excavated and repaired the damage and the department is TV‑inspecting the area to check for additional impacts.

Robillard also summarized pump‑station work and constraints: upgrades are planned for the Tuttle Road pump station and preliminary studies are underway for North Main and Johnson Street pump stations; some steps are contingent on acquiring property from Connecticut DOT. He reported the Red Road pump station has been delayed by equipment lead times and that the Berlin Street office solar installation went online June 4, which staff expect to reduce electrical costs.

Staff told the commission they will run a full well‑field performance test next week (running all wells at 100%) and follow with recovery measurements in the fall; consultants will analyze results and recommend any changes. The commission praised the detail of the reports and asked staff to prepare clear public communications about billing changes, lead inventory outreach and planned construction impacts.

Key next steps: manhole rehabilitation begins July 22; service‑line inventory outreach continues with an Oct. 1 response target for residents, and the well‑field test is scheduled for the coming week.