Engineers say December sewer overflows were five times previous record; city to reassess pump station capacity

At the March 27 Vergennes City Council meeting, Jennie Auster of Wright-Pierce and Rick Chaput, chief operating officer of the wastewater treatment facility (WWTF), presented a timeline of work under the Long-Term Control Plan (LTCP) issued as the '1272' order and said the city experienced December 2023 overflows that were "five times the biggest overflow on record." The speakers said the scale of recent overflows has prompted Wright-Pierce and city staff to rethink capacity at the Macdonough Pump Station and to consider additional reconfiguration to reduce combined sewer overflows.

Auster reported she discussed the reconfiguration and changes to the LTCP-defined sewer segment with John Merrifield, Environmental Analyst at the Vermont DEC, and said state regulators indicated there is flexibility within the LTCP to approve modifications as long as the changes are coordinated and approved by the DEC. Visitor Mel Hawley urged the city to conduct a door-to-door inventory of sump pumps tied to the sewer system to identify private connections that could contribute to peak flows.

Council and staff said the city will hire Parent Construction to complete temporary shoring on the Oter Creek Bridge and will present a funding plan for that work; VTrans annual bridge inspection is scheduled for June or July. The sewer upgrade presentation and accompanying materials are posted on the city's website for public review.