Wilton’s Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) met last evening, June 12, to discuss the FY 2025 sewer operating budget and proposed user charges.
The WPCA members agreed to schedule a public hearing on the matter on June 27, with a tentative start time at 6:30 p.m. Details will be posted on the Town website.
DPW Director/Town Engineer Frank Smeriglio updated the WPCA on the Town’s efforts to address “inflow and infiltration” (I&I), the excess flow in Wilton’s sewer system that is constraining Wilton’s capacity for new sewer allocations.
Smeriglio noted that engineering consultants from Wright-Pierce are in the process of creating a model of Wilton’s sewers that will help pinpoint where excess flow can be removed, and how much new capacity can be made available. He expects to see a draft analysis from the modeling in about ten days. In the meantime, he said sewer applicants have agreed to an extension on pending applications, presumably including Kimco’s proposal for 15-21 River Rd.
Smeriglio also led the WPCA members through a detailed presentation on the current and proposed sewer operating budget and the associated fees that would be charged to sewer users in FY’25. (His documents were posted on the Town website.)
Smeriglio highlighted key components of the operating budget, notably the sewage treatment expense from Norwalk (which receives Wilton’s sewer flow) which was higher than expected in the current fiscal year. Smeriglio said he believes the treatment fees are likely to continue to increase, as Norwalk is expected to invest heavily in remedies for its own I&I issues.
Under the budget Smeriglio outlined, user charges would increase by 5% for FY’25. Smeriglio emphasized that even with that increase, the budget would need to draw $327,612 from the Town’s $12.6 million sewer fund balance to cover all expenses.
Smeriglio also presented data on user charges from numerous surrounding municipalities, which showed Wilton’s user fees to be comparatively low.
“The rates that we’ve charged in the last few years have been the lowest rates in Fairfield County, in the towns that I checked,” Smeriglio said, referring to his analysis that included 11 nearby municipalities. “They’re considerably — a lot — higher than what we’re charging.”
Smeriglio seemed to suggest that the WPCA could opt for a higher rate hike — and reduce the need for drawing down the sewer fund balance — while still charging less than other towns.
However, First Selectman Toni Boucher, who chairs the WPCA, was reluctant to seek a higher increase, given the current climate for taxpayers.
“It’s obvious that we’re the lowest cost, and there’s room for increases, for sure. However, given the year that we’ve just gone through… I just don’t think it’s a good year to bump it up,” she said. “It’s my feeling that we should stick [to] the 5% for this year.”
Still, Boucher said she was open to considering a larger rate hike after FY’25.
“We’re going to revisit this in subsequent years and may need to do some catch-up,” Boucher said.
A Million-Dollar “Initial Push”
Apart from the operating budget, Smeriglio presented a five-year outlook for investments in Wilton’s sewer infrastructure.
FY’25 would include $1 million for design and construction work to reduce inflow and infiltration, as well as $250,000 for a Sewer System Evaluation Survey (SSES). (Note: Smeriglio’s initial presentation spread the latter cost over FY’25 and FY’26, but after questions raised by Selectman Bas Nabulsi, the WPCA agreed to fund all of the work in FY’25.)
Smeriglio described the FY’25 work as the “initial push” that would be followed by a “continued program” of $200,00-$250,000 per year in projects to maintain Wilton’s aging sewer infrastructure.
The work would be paid from the $12.6 million sewer fund balance, which Smeriglio characterized as a healthy balance and intended for such capital improvements.
Smeriglio also pointed out that roughly $3 million would be needed for investment in Wilton’s pump station, which he targeted for FY’27. He noted that the cost could be bonded if the WPCA did not wish to further draw down the fund balance.
Other WPCA News
The June 12 WPCA meeting also included a confidential Executive Session for an update from legal counsel regarding the court appeal of the Town’s decisions on an application for 19 Cannon Rd.