Updated water standards could cost Winsted money

WINSTED — Expected changes to the state’s water quality standards could cost the town’s sewer and water department hundreds of thousands of dollars in new equipment and a significant jump in its annual operating costs.

The state Department of Environmental Protection is in the process of updating and revising its water quality standards, which seek to protect and restore the health of Connecticut’s lakes, rivers and streams, as well as Long Island Sound.

The standards must be formally reviewed every three years under the federal Clean Water Act.

One of the proposed changes this time around, however, is of fiscal concern for the Winsted/Winchester Sewer Treatment Plant and Water Department.

The state officials and environmentalists have become increasingly troubled about high levels of nutrients found in local waters — phosphorus and nitrogen in particular.

High phosphorus levels can accelerate the growth of algae, which then lower a body of water’s oxygen levels and upset its natural balance.

This in turn can lead to a reduction in animal and plant life, as well as a reduced water clarity. The problem frequently worsens over time, until the cycle is broken.

“It’s one of these chemicals that doesn’t help our water — or the Long Island Sound,†Richard Nalette, chairman of the town’s Sewer and Water Commission, said.

Nalette said most of the phosphorus found in wastewater comes from everyday products flushed down drains and washed away in sinks.

“It’s from the dishwashing detergents and soap we all use,†he said.

To help reduce the levels found in local waters, state officials have proposed limiting the amount of phosphorus wastewater treatment plants can discharge back into the environment.

Although Nalette agrees that this is an important step in protecting local waters, he said that if the revision is adopted, it would require that the town’s treatment plant purchase new equipment to remove the nutrients. That equipment costs around $300,000.

“This was not an issue when we originally built the plant 20 years ago,†he said.

Nalette said the regulation would also result in an estimated $50,000-a-year increase in its annual operating costs, an increase that most likely would result in higher service fees for water/sewer department customers.

“It’s another unfunded mandate,†he said.

Nalette added, however, that while the proposed revision most likely will be adopted by the state — requiring the department purchase the new equipment — it would not immediately go into effect.

“It probably is another four to five years before the state gets to regulate that,†he said of the nutrients.

The state held a public hearing on the slate of changes proposed to its water quality regulations Feb. 3. The extended period to submit public comment on the revisions is expected to close later next month.

For more information about the proposed changes to the state’s water quality standards, visit the Department of Environmental Protection’s Web site at ct.gov/dep.