POMFRET — Pomfret officials on Monday cleared a major hurdle to the construction of a long-planned sewer line aimed at hooking in two private schools and a local business to a municipal system.
The Board of Selectmen voted to approve a sewer use agreement with the town of Putnam to accept any wastewater generated by the Pomfret and Rectory schools and Loos & Co., an aircraft and wire manufacturer, once a $7.5 million sewer line and pump station project is finished.
Pomfret First Selectman Craig Baldwin acknowledged the approval process for the project has taken some time.
“It’s been a long process,” he said.
“But that happens when it involves two towns, two lawyers, water pollution control authorities, a mayor and first selectman,” he said.
The two private schools have failing sewer systems and requested to hook into the municipal system.
Private schools are not eligible for federal grants, so the town was named the project’s administrator, though the schools and Loos & Co. will be responsible for paying back the loan.
The agreement, which still must be approved by Putnam residents at town meeting, states Putnam will own the section of line running through its borders, though Pomfret is responsible for maintaining the infrastructure.
“A bill based on flow rate will be sent quarterly to the Pomfret Water Pollution Control Authority, which would then be responsible for sending out its own bill to users.” Baldwin said he’s waiting for final permit approval from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection before the project goes out to bid.
“Optimistically, we could start some work this year and finish next fall,” he said.