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Epping commission hears town wastewater upgrade still pegged at $38 million
Summary
At its Jan. 21 meeting, the Epping Conservation Commission heard a Value Engineering update that a $33 million midpoint estimate for the town wastewater upgrade omitted contingency and construction-phase engineering, leaving the $38 million warrant figure intact and the town directing engineers to plan on $38 million.
Chair Liz Wilson and commission members heard a briefing from member Joe Trombley on the town wastewater treatment upgrade and recent Value Engineering (VE) work.
Commission member Joe Trombley said the VE workshop found the $33 million midpoint estimate did not include a project contingency nor roughly $3 million for construction-phase engineering, and that the $38 million figure in the warrant article remains appropriate. Trombley said the town asked the engineering panel to plan on the $38 million scenario despite discussion of raising the planning range to $40 million–$42 million.
Trombley outlined upcoming public events tied to the project: a Wastewater Upgrade educational event scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 29 at 6:00 PM and the town's Deliberative Session on Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 6:00 PM. He also said the Technical Review Committee meeting has been moved with no new date set.
On technical options, Trombley noted the Department of Environmental Services requires a 150,000-gallon peak flow tank but does not prescribe its format; as a potential alternative, lining Lagoon #1 was discussed as a way to provide required buffering without the conventional tank. He added the plant is currently meeting effluent standards, the moratorium on certain connections remains in place, and recent trial runs processing septage have demonstrated the plant’s capacity until additional redundancies are installed.
The commission did not vote on any policy or funding decisions related to the wastewater project; members received the update for information. The town-led VE findings and budget planning are expected to be discussed further in upcoming public town meetings and the Deliberative Session.
