Contractor Chosen For Repairs At Damaged Fairfield Wastewater Plant

FAIRFIELD, CT — A Meriden-based company has been selected to repair equipment at the Fairfield Water Pollution Control Facility, which could finally bring some relief from the stench at the plant off Reef Road on Richard White Way.

Tucker Mechanical, Inc. was the low bidder on the project, which will repair the primary digester tank at the plant.

According to Fairfield Purchasing Director Gerald Foley, only two companies bid on the project, and Tucker Mechanical bid came at $1,430,753, which is well under the $1,750,000 the Board of Selectpersons approved for the project last month.

"We’re finally getting close to the repair stage," First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick said Monday during the Selectpersons meeting where Tucker Mechanical was selected.

In addition to the bid, the board also approved $143,000.00 in contingency costs for the project, bringing the grand total amount to $1,573,753. The money is earmarked to come out of WPCA surplus funds.

Jared Schmidt, Fairfield's Chief Fiscal Officer, told the board that the cost of the repairs was not known before the project went out to bid, with the $1.75 million allocation being an estimate.

"We really didn't know how much it would cost," Schmidt said. "We estimated it would be between $1 million and $2 million."

Residents in the vicinity have complained for months about the smell from the plant, which is the result of the facility's damaged digester, which treats the town's sewage. The 45-ton top of the digester in the Fairfield facility blew off in April, which has allowed noxious fumes to escape.

"We need to get it fixed, because it’s an emergency situation," said Selectman Thomas Flynn.

The amount approved by the board for the repairs must still receive approval from the Board of Finance and the Representative Town Meeting.