Old Lyme - The town's Water Pollution Control Authority is grappling with how to respond to news that the state may order it to manage a centralized sewer system for five beach neighborhoods.

The chairman says he wants to hear publicly from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection whether that will be a direct order or not.

The three beach associations that have their own WPCAs have told the commission they will build their own sewer system, having received indications from other communities that they can use their lines to send wastewater to the treatment plant in New London.

WPCA Chairman Kurt Zemba, who wrote to the three beach associations that the town supports their efforts, nevertheless said the WPCA has no intention of connecting the five neighborhoods to sewers under a single town-managed plan unless the state issues an official order to do so.

After studying the shoreline and exploring a local alternative, the WPCA decided last year to pursue a town-managed centralized system to connect to sewers the beach neighborhoods of Old Lyme Shores, Old Colony Beach, Miami Beach, Hawk's Nest and Sound View, as well as White Sand, which was later removed from the plan. The town would manage the infrastructure, including pump stations and sewer pipes that would connect with East Lyme and Waterford's pipes to send wastewater for treatment in New London.

The beach communities with their own WPCAs had previously been working on their own sewer projects, following concerns about pollution from their septic systems that stand on small lots with shallow groundwater. Old Lyme Shores and Old Colony are under state orders to connect to sewers, while a third order for Miami Beach is expected.

Most recently, the town authority voted in January to withdraw a plan submitted to the DEEP on the shoreline's wastewater needs, which the state has been reviewing to assess whether or not it will direct the communities to have sewers. It had cited concerns over mounting costs to comply with the DEEP's revisions and a lack of agreements in place with New London and East Lyme that would enable Old Lyme to convey and treat the wastewater.

The authority met Tuesday night for the first time since voting to withdraw its plan.

Zemba told authority members that a DEEP representative informed First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder in a phone call Tuesday that the state agency will not recognize the plan as withdrawn and will proceed with the plan in place, meaning that DEEP is prepared to order the town to implement the plan. In a Jan. 12 letter to the authority, the DEEP also wrote that the plan, which received Clean Water Funds, is a public document that cannot be withdrawn.

Zemba said he will invite the DEEP to the authority's April meeting to confirm its position and allow members to ask questions.

Meanwhile, the chairmen of the three beach associations - Old Lyme Shores, Old Colony Beach and Miami Beach - sent a March 5 letter to Zemba stating that they have begun the design process and anticipate finalizing inter-municipal agreements for wastewater conveyance and treatment in the coming weeks. The letter also says the associations plan to build flexibility into the inter-municipal agreements and infrastructure that could allow the town to opt in later.

"We have developed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Associations to have our communities partner in the negotiations with downstream municipalities and project costs for a shared force main beneath Route 156 and a centralized pump station," the letter adds. "In the future, we are hopeful that the [Old Lyme WPCA] and Town will commit to share costs with us for design, construction and operation of the common force main along Route 156, the centralized pump station and other improvements downstream."

Spokesman Dennis Schain said in an email interview earlier on Tuesday that DEEP has approved wastewater management plans for both Old Lyme Shores and Old Colony Beach. The facilities plan for Miami Beach is under review, and DEEP expects to issue an approval shortly. Schain said the projects were held in abeyance while the town expressed interest in leading a town-managed system, but the DEEP could elect to work directly with the associations. DEEP also anticipates a sewer project will entail upgrading East Lyme's pump station.

In correspondence with the associations, Zemba wrote that the WPCA will work with the them in any way it can. He said two beach communities under the town's WPCA - Hawk's Nest and Sound View - are expected to be included in a wastewater management plan "by an anticipated order from the DEEP."

"We expect the inclusion of these areas but also the coordination of those areas into a unified plan under the guidance of the DEEP," he wrote. "The design flexibility you referenced is key to a cost effective approach to this project."

On Tuesday, WPCA members discussed scenarios in which the three beach associations started the project and other town beaches were potentially added on later - or if the project began as one system managed by the town's WPCA.

"The issue is: Should the town be a customer of the beach associations, or should the beach associations be a customer of the town?" said WPCA Vice-Chairman Richard Prendergast.

While both scenarios would require negotiations with East Lyme and New London for wastewater conveyance and capacity, the beach associations have already approved bonding the project. A project managed by the town would require some additional steps, including approval of bonding funds at a town meeting.

WPCA members said DEEP may ultimately have control over the decision.

k.drelich@theday.com

Twitter: @KimberlyDrelich