GNHWPCA Statement in Response to STS Filing
News & Notices
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 16, 2021
Contact:
Gary Zrelak, gzrelak@gnhwpca.com
PRESS RELEASE – STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO STS FILING
The Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority (“the Authority”) is disappointed that Save the Sound (STS) is suing the Authority on the basis of a sewage spill caused by the collapse of one of our sewage collection pipes. This past July 2020, while preparing to replace a sewer main along Whitney Avenue, Hamden, a section of that pipe collapsed allowing sewage to spill into the Mill River. The line was isolated within 29 hours and sewage redirected to the system so that no additional spill could occur. State and local officials were quickly notified and informed the public in accordance with the law. Post spill monitoring of the Mill River, the confluence of the Mill and Quinnipiac Rivers and Long Island Sound showed no long term increased bacterial levels in the days following the spill.
The Authority has a robust policy of strategic and systematic operations, maintenance and improvements which are well documented since its regionalization in 2005. The service area consists of the municipalities of East Haven, New Haven, Hamden, and Woodbridge. The Authority’s service area consists of 550 miles of pipe, some dating back to the 1800’s, 30 pump stations, and a recently upgraded sewage treatment plant that collects and treats an average of 10 billion gallons of sewage annually. The Authority has many tools to manage the system such as a Capacity, Management, Operation and Maintenance (CMOM) program which has been used as a template by EPA for other Municipalities. The Authority’s complex system requires highly qualified personnel. The Authority is inspecting and constantly monitoring our system on a 24/7 basis to ensure that sewage is conveyed, treated, and discharged in accordance with both Federal and State laws.
The Authority is funded by user fees from the ratepayers with significant contributions from the State of Connecticut for capital improvements through the CTDEEP Clean Water Fund. It has maintained an excellent financial bond rating far exceeding most municipal peers.
This litigation is misguided. The GNHWPCA is a Not-for-Profit entity, the burden of addressing this lawsuit will fall on the backs of our rate payers. It can only serve to distract us from our mission of protecting public health and the environment. This lawsuit will divert our limited public funds from the maintenance and operations that are needed. “The cost of this litigation will be a burden to our ratepayers, our system users and overall system operations,” said Sidney J. Holbrook, Executive Director of the Authority. “No system is failsafe. Our record is excellent, as proven by our CMOM manual being used as a model for other municipalities, and we never want to jeopardize that by the distractions of a lawsuit.”
2020 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Awards
Mario Ricozzi honored with the Wisely American Civil Engineer Award
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has honored Mario Ricozzi, P.E., F.ASCE with the 2020 William H. Wisely American Civil Engineer Award.
Ricozzi, GNHWPCA’s Manager of Design, is recognized for his dedication and steadfast leadership in overseeing revisions to the Society’s governing documents to enable flexibility, and his willingness to educate the membership on the proposed modifications.
The William H. Wisely American Civil Engineer Award recognizes individuals or groups of individuals who are members of ASCE and who have made continuing efforts to promote appreciation for the history, tradition, developments and technical and professional activities of the Society.
GNHWPCA honored with the Achievement in Civil Engineering (ACE) Award
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has honored GNHWPCA with the 2020 ACE Award for the organizations Short Term Control Plan Improvements For Cost Effective Combined Sewer Overflow Reduction. This project was selected for the ACE Award category with a construction value of < $20 million, > $5 million.
The GNHWPCA implemented a program of analysis, design & construction that resulted in a 40% reduction in CSOs at a cost of less than $1 per gallon of CSO Reduction per Year. The detailed analysis by GNHWPCA and their design teams, along with the expertise of the construction teams, resulted in an extremely cost-effective CSO reduction solution.
Notice of Permit Application
Notice of Permit Application
Town(s):
City of New Haven
Town of East Haven
Town of Hamden
Town of Woodbridge
Notice is herby given that the Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority (the “applicant”) of 260 East Street, New Haven, CT will submit to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection an application under Section 22a-430 of the Connecticut General Statues for a permit to initiate, create, originate or maintain a discharge of water, substance or material to the waters of the state.
Specifically, the applicant proposes to renew its existing Municipal NPDES Permit No. CT0100366 to discharge 40,000,000 gallons per day of treated domestic sewage. The proposed activity will take place at the East Shore Water Pollution Abatement Facility, 345 East Shore Parkway, New Haven, CT. The proposed activity will potentially affect: New Haven Harbor and Long Island Sound.
Interested persons may obtain copies of the application from Mr. John Torre, Operations Manager, 345 East Shore Parkway, New Haven, CT 06512, (203) 466-5280, extension 276.
The application will be available for inspection at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Bureau of Water Protection and Land Reuse, Planning and Standards Division, Municipal Facilities Group, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106-5127, (860) 424-3704 from 8:30 to 4:30, Monday through Friday. Please call in advance to schedule review of this application.
Notice of Public Hearing May 12, 2020: Proposed Annual Budget & Sewer User Charge
Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority
Notice of Public Hearing
The Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority (the “GNHWPCA”) will hold a public hearing pursuant to CGS Section 7-255 and Section 43 of the Sewer Ordinances on the Annual Budget and Sewer User Charge on May 12, 2020 at 5:45 P.M. Said public hearing will be held via teleconference. No in-person attendance will be permitted. A recording of the transcript of the public hearing will be accessible to the public online after the public hearing at the GNHWPCA website at gnhwpca.com. Teleconference call-in information is as follows:
Dial: (929) 205-6099
Enter meeting ID number 842 7032 2846 and press #
Enter passcode 243899 and press #
The Annual Budget and Sewer User Charge are linked below.
Link: Proposed Annual Budget & Sewer User Charge
Link: Proposed Operating Budget & Capital Improvement Plan
Link: Minutes – Audio
UPDATE–Customer Online Bill Payment Service
News & Notices
*** Note to Customers Making Online Bill Payments ***
The GNHWPCA Customer Account Portal site is back in service for your convenience. We have completed the planned maintenance as scheduled. Thank you.
GNHWPCA Customer Service
Notice of Public Hearing October 1, 2019: Proposed Revised Fee Schedule of Connection Charges
News & Notices
Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority
Notice of Public Hearing
The Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority (the “GNHWPCA”) will meet at the offices of the Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority, 260 East Street, New Haven, Connecticut on October 1, 2019 at 5:45 P.M., for the purpose of holding a public hearing pursuant to CGS Section 7-255 and Section 43 of the Sewer Ordinances on the Revised Fee Schedule of Connection Charges.
Copies of said Revised Fee Schedule are on file open to public inspection at the office of the Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority, 260 East Street, New Haven, Connecticut, as well as the offices of the City/Town Clerk for each of New Haven, East Haven, Hamden and Woodbridge and through the link below.
Adopted Sewer User Charge & Annual Budget Effective July 1, 2019
News & Notices
Adopted Sewer User Charge & Annual Budget Effective July 1, 2019
Adopted Sewer User Charge & Annual Budget Fiscal Year 2019-2020
Notice of Public Hearing May 14, 2019: Proposed Annual Budget & Sewer User Charge
News & Notices
Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority
Notice of Public Hearing
The Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority (the “GNHWPCA”) will meet at the offices of the Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority, 260 East Street, New Haven, Connecticut on May 14, 2019 at 5:45 P.M., for the purpose of holding a public hearing pursuant to CGS Section 7-255 and Section 43 of the Sewer Ordinances on the Annual Budget and Sewer User Charge. The Annual Budget and Sewer User Charge appear below.
Copies of said Annual Budget and Sewer User Charge are on file open to public inspection at the office of the Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority, 260 East Street, New Haven, Connecticut, as well as the offices of the City/Town Clerk for each of New Haven, East Haven, Hamden and Woodbridge and through the link below.
2018 Roy Award for Environmental Partnership
News & Notices
The Greater New Haven Water Pollution Control Authority received the 2018 Roy Award for Environmental Partnership from Harvard University (Kennedy School for Science & International Affairs) for our “Advancing Green Infrastructure Program.”