Pawcatuck neighborhood renews effort to get sewers
Stonington — For the past 44 years, half the homes in the Brookside subdivision in Pawcatuck have been plagued by flooded basements, sinkholes and septic systems that back up into their homes.
Despite some of the homes along Elaine, Mark and Balls streets and Pondview Court being located about 1,000 feet from the Pawcatuck sewer plant, the residents have been unsuccessful in convincing town officials to install sewers that they can connect to.
Now, after one of their Mark Street neighbors received approval from the Board of Selectmen for an easement for a private sewer line, they are renewing their effort to get sewers.
On Tuesday night, the WPCA said it would come up with examples of what it would cost homeowners in the neighborhood to hook up to the sewer system so neighbors can provide input on the plan. WPCA Executive Director Douglas Nettleton estimated the project would cost in the area of $1.4 million. If a sewer line were installed, all homeowners would be required to pay to hook up to it, even if they do not want to or have working septic systems.
WPCA Chairman Rich Cody told the neighbors he understands they have a health and safety issue and the authority wants to solve the problem “but we want people to understand that it will be expensive.”
Elaine Street resident Sam Agnello has lead the fight for sewers for his neighbors since he moved into the neighborhood in 1973. On Tuesday night he submitted a letter to the WPCA calling for action as well as a map that shows the location of the homes with problems.
Agnello, whose own yard is plagued by sinkholes, said that the water and sewer problems began shortly after their homes were built in the early 1970s and worsened with the development of the adjacent Stonington Green subdivision in the early 2000s.
Agnello and his neighbors fought the initial 120-home project, warning it would worsen their flooding problem. The town eventually approved a scaled back 57-lot subdivision.
Over the past few years, Agnello said the town has installed storm drains to lessen flooding on Elaine Street and Fallon Court but the basement flooding and sewage backup problems remain.
Over the past four decades, Agnello said residents have been told they were a low priority for tying in to the Pawcatuck plant because the town wanted to reserve capacity for development along Route 2 in North Stonington as well as the possibility of diverting sewage from the borough treatment plant.
Agnello said he would like to know if the town still has plans for the two proposals, as neither has occurred over the years. WPCA members indicated the North Stonington connection is unlikely because its officials have balked at the cost while the borough diversion no longer is under consideration because the town’s plants have been upgraded.
Agnello said this is the fourth time that residents have pushed for the town to let them hook in to the sewer plant.
“We just want sewers,” he said. “We’re not sure if this will go anywhere. We don’t want to get our hopes up. We’ll go through this again and hope for the best.”
Selectman Mike Spellman told the authority that the problem is frustrating for the neighborhood because they can almost pick up a rock, throw it and hit the Pawcatuck plant.
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