PZC Approves Mystic Wastewater Treatment Plant Application

The Stonington Planning and Zoning Commission gave its approval to the plan to upgrade and restore the Mystic Wastewater Treatment Facility on . 

“Our objective is to bring it up to date,” said Stonington Director Harold Storrs.

The wastewater treatment facility at 22 Edgemont St., in Mystic was built in 1972, is the oldest plant in town and has not undergone an upgrade or restoration since its founding.

The rehabilitation will not significantly increase the footprint of the plant, but will increase the parking area, increase the ability of the plant to remove nitrogen and accommodate sewage flow for the next 20 years.

Storrs said the plant currently processes 500,000 to 600,000 gallons per day and 20-year projected growth would have it processed 671,000 gallons per day. The plant Storrs said could process up to 800,000 gallons per day.

Increasing the parking lot size will allow a truck for wastewater sludge to easily move in and out of the plant area. Currently the plant is diverting some of its wastewater sludge through pipes to the plant in Stonington Borough.

Storrs said he expects construction to take 30-months because they have to keep operating throughout the construction process.

“I wish it was shorter,” pzc commission member John Prue said. “I’m sure you do too, but if you have to keep working.”

In November of 2010, Stonington voters approved an $18.3 million special obligation bond for the upgrade of the town’s three sewage treatment plants. The town expects it will take $14.2 of the $18.3 million to renovate the Mystic plant. In January of 2012, the Stonington from the Water Pollution Control Authority for the upgrade and restoration.

The pzc unanimously approved the WPCA’s application, which included a special use permit and coastal area management review. The pzc, however, added a number of stipulations including that the plans receive an engineering stamp and the final plans receive the approval of the town engineer and fire marshal.

The WPCA also must meet the state DEEP regulations.

“The expansion will preserve and improve that national habit and improve water quality in the river and sound,” Storrs said.