First Selectman Toni Boucher, who chairs Wilton’s Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA), is very hopeful that a new initiative to secure state bond funds will help Wilton pay for significant repairs needed in Wilton’s aging sewer infrastructure.

Wilton officials are planning to seek a grant of $929,648 through the 2025 House Democrats Office Bond Request process.

DPW Director/Town Engineer Frank Smeriglio attended the WPCA’s Wednesday, Mar. 12 meeting to discuss the bond request opportunity, which was brought to his attention by Town Administrator Matt Knickerbocker in February.

“Matt [Knickerbocker] had given us a call… just seeing if we had anything that we could potentially submit as part of the state bond package,” Smeriglio told the WPCA members. “It has to be related to economic expansion. I thought of the I&I project because the improvements relate to economic expansion — because we’re kind of stuck between what we can and can’t do with our sewers.”

“I&I” refers to “inflow and infiltration” — the excess flow in Wilton’s sewer system. Inflow generally refers to rainwater that is misdirected to sanitary sewers, while infiltration occurs with issues such as defective manholes, cracked pipes, and improper connections from private properties. A 2023 I&I study of Wilton’s sewer system identified the specific areas which need repair to potentially reduce 172,000 gallons per day of sewer flow.

In a memo to the WPCA, Smeriglio outlined why he believes Wilton will qualify for the state funding.

“The Town is looking to conduct Sanitary Sewer Inflow and Infiltration Mitigation improvements… Currently, Wilton is susceptible to high sewer flows during rain events due to aging sewer infrastructure. Based on the current interlocal agreement with Norwalk, Wilton has a discharge limit into Norwalk that is very close to being reached. This directly limits the opportunities for economic expansion along Wilton’s sanitary sewer system as potential remaining capacity for wastewater is being used by rain and groundwater. With this project, we are looking to improve Wilton’s sanitary sewer system to minimize this excess clean water entering the system. Thus, allowing more Economic expansion.”

“We’re going to depend on our state legislators, both in the House and Senate, to help shepherd this through,” Boucher said.

The draft application lists State Rep. Savet Constantine (42nd District), a Democrat who currently represents Wilton, as the requesting legislator. State Rep. Ron Napoli, another Democrat who represents Waterbury, chairs the bonding committee.

“I am hoping that something like this — that speaks to economic development in our communities — will be something that everyone can agree with and would [have] bipartisan approval,” Boucher continued. “I think it’s an excellent proposal… this is truly a valid request, and so we’re hoping that it gets through the process.”

Boucher anticipates Wilton officials will have some indication of whether the application will advance by the end of the legislative session in June. She noted that the bond package must first get through the legislature before the bonding committee and the governor ultimately approve each request.

The WPCA members voted unanimously to endorse the application. (Note: Selectwoman Kim Healy, a WPCA member, was not in attendance for the vote.)

Update on Sewer Flow Levels

Smeriglio reported that Wilton’s latest sewer flow measures are averaging 464,000 gallons per day — which he called “a good number” and directionally lower than what he reported in February, thanks to lower rainfall and some minor I&I improvements already conducted.

Smeriglio’s detailed worksheet also shows the estimated flows for buildings at various stages of construction or approval. As projects are completed, the numbers shift from theoretical to actual flows. For example, as apartment buildings like Riverside Wilton (141 Danbury Rd.) gain occupancy, Smeriglio reduces the theoretical flow expected for the building, whose flow numbers are then being captured in the actual, town-wide gallons per day.

Boucher asked Smeriglio when Town officials could see actual flow numbers for Riverside Wilton.

“I think that number will help us to determine things going forward,” Boucher said. “That will help us to assess what is proposed by a developer or project owner versus what is real.”

Those assumptions for estimating flows became sticking points in several recent applications submitted to the WPCA, notably for 131 Danbury Rd., which was ultimately approved.

Smeriglio told Boucher that the data would have to come from Aquarion or directly from the property owner.

The next WPCA meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 9.