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09/16/2015 09:30 AMThe Water Pollution Control Commission (WPCC) is on track to submit a water pollution report to the state within three to six months according to WPCC officials. It is likely to be one of the most significant steps towards addressing Clinton’s extensive water pollution problem.
The WPCC has been charged with finding a solution to the town’ s groundwater pollution problem. In the 1990s, the then-Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, now Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), and the town entered into a consent order mandating that the town address pollution from private septic systems for the Rocky Ledge and Long Hill
The WPCC report, which received an additional $44,400 in funding at a special town meeting held on Sept 2, will be more comprehensive than previous evaluations according to WPCC Chair Matthew Kennedy.
“This report is different from the previous ones in that it went into a level of detail never before undertaken,” he said. “We realized right away that for this current plan to be successful—versus previous plans, which were completed at great expense to the town over the past 20 years—that we would need to complete a greater degree of due diligence to explore the issues, solutions, and technical justification.”
Kennedy said new elements were added to this report to ensure accuracy.
“A file search project was implemented to compile information about soils and existing septic systems to draw conclusions about solutions for individual study areas,” he said. The report also vetted 299 properties for use for anticipated off-site solutions. This ranged from reviewing geology maps to an often time-consuming and expensive legal process of obtaining access to private properties for inspection and actual testing where appropriate.”
While the length of time it will take the state to review the report is uncertain, Kennedy said he hopes for a speedy response.
“We anticipate at least a conditional response from them in a matter of several months,” he said.
As the town awaits the completion of the report and response from the state, Kennedy encourages residents to attend public involvement meetings being held in affected areas.
“To date, we have held four, small, neighborhood-style meetings in Rocky Ledge, Long Hill, coastal, and the Chamber of Commerce area with overall very positive results,” he said. “It is beginning a dialogue between the WPCC and the residents/taxpayers. We want to engage the public to develop a shared vision.”
Town involvement is key to finding a solution to the water pollution problem, according to Kennedy.
“It’s a delicate balancing act where we have DEEP and state regulation on one side and the needs and wants of the town on the other,” he said. “Ultimately, any plan we put forward to DEEP will have a greater chance of success if the town as a whole has input and a sense of ownership in what we present. This is a town-wide problem that needs as much participation as possible to succeed.”