Special Board of Aldermen 10-14-2021 Page 21
Lisa Fauteux, Director of Public Works
Yeah, so that's something that we think is coming down the pipe and it's something that communities who have fully
separated as Manchester is doing is going to have, we believe, will have significant problems because it will end up
having to treat all of those stormwater outfalls. That's one of the advantages of our system is that most of the stormwater
is going to the treatment plan and being treated and so that's why we are reluctant to separate the entire system. Only
the areas that we absolutely need to where we're still having CSO overflows. So that's the way we've approached our
wastewater system. So | think you're correct. | think that eventually that's going to be a major problem for a number of
communities who are fully separated. Right now it is not though, the EPA is allowing us to just discharge.
Alderman Jette
So if the stormwater that is treated, why do we separate that?
Lisa Fauteux, Director of Public Works
We don't separate it. It's altogether. It's a combined system.
Alderman Jette
Okay.
Mayor Donchess
C | add to that? My impression is that for a while the EPA is, you know, main thrust was to get communities to separate
because, you know, cities on the East Coast - these older cities - most of them were separating. The problem with that,
as you've just mentioned, is that you get stormwater untreated and untouched going into the rivers. So now, you know,
there may be some problems with that approach given the stormwater and so a lot of our stormwater is being treated,
which is kind of unusual, actually. | believe most of the cities have separated like Manchester. So | think over the years,
you know, there was some separation but then this wet water idea hold the water and then run it through the treatment
plant was developed and most of the stormwater runs through that system but not all of it. Now if any of that is not
accurate, which it may not be, so let's see. | think it's correct.
Lisa Fauteux, Director of Public Works
Yeah, you’re correct.
Alderman Jette
So | guess, you know, the message is that eventually all of the water whether its stormwater or sewerage is going to
have to be treated before it goes into the river. That's in the future for us.
Lisa Fauteux, Director of Public Works
We can't answer that for certain. | wouldn't speak for the EPA, but we believe so.
Dave Boucher, Wastewater Superintendent
There are more and more stringent regulations. They seem to get more and more stringent and stormwater is certainly
an area they're looking at. You have an MS4 Permit now that monitors stormwater outfalls. That's just taking hold now
in a lot of different urbanized communities. Those plans to stop monitoring your outfalls on stormwater and you know, as
the regulations get more stringent, more stringent, you know, it leads you to believe that, you know, treatment of
stormwater is down the road but to be seen.
Alderman Jette
Okay, thank you.
President Wilshire
Anyone else?
