Wilton’s Projected Sewer Demand Tops Contract Limit as WPCA Considers Kimco Expansion and Court-Ordered Action on Cannondale Apartments

Wilton’s town-wide sewer demand is projected to exceed the 650,000-gallon-per-day limit under the Town’s contractual agreement with Norwalk, a threshold officials described as being reached for the first time at the Wednesday, Sept. 23 special meeting of Wilton’s Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA).

While actual sewer flow remains below that limit, averaging about 484,000 gallons per day, the latest planning calculations total 650,810 gallons per day — 810 gallons above the limit.

Those projections include estimates for approved projects (either under construction or not yet begun), as well as pending applications, including Kimco’s Phase II redevelopment and a new application for 33 Danbury Rd. While the projected numbers are to some degree hypothetical, the latest calculations reveal the increasing pressure on the WPCA as it balances growth in the Town with finite sewer capacity.

At the same meeting, the WPCA formally approved a court-ordered sewer extension and allocation for a proposed 70-unit apartment complex in Cannondale, and heard a request for an increase in the allocation for 15-21 River Rd. in Wilton Center — Kimco’s Phase II redevelopment proposal with 225 apartments.

Town-Wide Sewer Flow Update

Department of Public Works Interim Town Engineer Steve Santacroce provided an updated to DPW’s now-familiar worksheet detailing Wilton’s actual and theoretical sewer flows.

Wilton’s actual sewer flow is currently averaging about 484,000 gallons per day — an uptick from 464,000 reported in June. The number of greater concern, however, was the total projected flow calculation, which exceeds the Town’s contractual limit.

“We’re obviously at the limit of 650,[000]” Santocroce said.

First Selectman Toni Boucher reminded the WPCA members that Norwalk officials have made it clear they are not entertaining the idea of granting Wilton more capacity. She described their response to two previous requests as cordial and amicable, but adamant that an increase is not an option.

“If we’re at the limit, we’re at the limit. That’s the bottom line,” Boucher said. “There’s no wiggle room there.”

Still, the WPCA members agreed the updated numbers gave the WPCA a reason to approach Norwalk officials again, in hopes that they might reconsider.

“Now that we’re actually at that number, there’s no danger in doing a follow-up,” Boucher said. “We’ll see what happens.”

19 Cannon Rd.

The WPCA’s first order of business was to formally approve a court-ordered resolution allowing a sewer main extension and 15,300-gallon-per-day allocation for Baywing LLC‘s proposed 70-unit apartment building at 19 Cannon Rd. in Cannondale. The resolution followed a Connecticut appeals court decision in May, which overturned the sewer authority’s 2023 rejection of the application.

“We don’t have much of an option here because it’s a court-ordered resolution,” Wilton’s WPCA attorney Pete Gelderman said. “That [appellate court] decision requires the WPCA to approve the project… and this resolution does just that, subject to special conditions.”

The resolution addressed only the project’s sewer extension and allocation; it did not grant approval for construction of the apartment development. The proposal must still go before Wilton’s other land use boards for the approvals required before construction can proceed. It is expected that the application will be submitted under Connecticut’s 8-30g statutes.

Gelderman noted the 15 special conditions were recommended by Town staff and their engineering consultants from Wright-Pierce, along with input from the applicant’s team, “so everybody was in agreement that they were appropriate for this particular project.”

Gelderman said the conditions “protect the Town” and ensure “the project is implemented in accordance with best practices.” Among the conditions, the applicant must install a flow meter at the property so actual flows can be monitored by the Town, and the “construction, maintenance and necessary repairs” of a pump station will be subject to approval by the Town.

Santacroce said he expected there will be “some back and forth” between the town and the applicant’s engineers as they work out an agreement on technical details in the final design.

15-21 River Rd. (Kimco Phase II)

The WPCA also heard a presentation by Craig Flaherty of Redniss & Mead, an engineering consultant representing Kimco’s “Phase II” plan for 15-21 River Rd.

The plan would replace a 118,000-square-foot office building with the proposed 225 apartments, requiring an increase of 17,532 gallons per day over the current sewer allocation.

Flaherty acknowledged that including the requested increase would push Wilton’s total projected sewer demand over the Town’s 650,000-gallon-per-day limit. However, he had identified potential solutions that he said would enable the WPCA to approve the request, including:

• Removing the allocation for 24 Cannon Rd. from the WPCA’s calculations: Flaherty said continuing to reserve the roughly 8,500-gallon allocation for an application approved in 2009 but never developed was “highly speculative” and urged the WPCA to eliminate it.
• Recognizing the Town’s calculations are “conservative”: Flaherty argued that the Town’s per-person flow formula — a methodology the WPCA formally adopted just last month — is not consistent with empirical data he previously shared with the WPCA and overstates actual use. He suggested that difference created a “buffer” which he estimated “could be as large as 27,000 gallons” and more than enough to accommodate Kimco’s request.

Both Santacroce and Boucher pushed back on that point, saying a conservative approach is not only prudent but necessary for managing the Town’s sewer capacity.

The WPCA took no action on Kimco’s application. DPW and the WPCA members will review the application materials in more detail before a vote is taken. Flaherty requested a vote at the next WPCA meeting.

Inflow & Infiltration

Christine Kurtz of Wright-Pierce updated the WPCA on the status of a second phase of work to reduce “inflow and infiltration” (I&I) in Wilton’s sewer system — rainwater and groundwater entering the system and adding to the volume sent for treatment.

The Sewer Rehabilitation Project is currently out to bid, with bids due Oct. 8. The work includes lining 3,400 feet of pipe, sealing 400 pipe joints, and scores of manhole repairs, among other work.

Kurtz shared detailed mapping of the sewer mains and manhole locations — with much of it along Routes 7 and 106.

Boucher raised concerns about potential traffic impacts on those roads during the repair work.

“We’ve had a lot of sensitive issues on some of our main roads… it has been a source of great concern on the part of the residents,” she said.

Kurtz said no road closures were anticipated and contractors would be required to coordinate the work with state officials and Wilton police. She also noted no interruptions in sewer use would occur.

WPCA member Kim Healy requested updated sewer fund balances before the WPCA is asked to approve any projects.