Voicing the Concerns of the Water Commission, WPCA

The Tolland Water Commission and Water Pollution Control Authority discussed their immediate needs with the town council at Tuesday night's joint session, which emphasized that changes are necessary for the two volunteer-run public utilities.

TWC Financial Officer Glenn MacDonald stressed that the water commission needs to make significant financial changes in order to maintain the nearly 30-year-old water system infrastructure, as well as to rebuild a safety net for any unforseen damages to essential system components.

"If we have a major 'oops,' we're going to be in the market for borrowing money," MacDonald said.

According to MacDonald, the water commission will have a financial reserve of around $200,000 this year, which funds certain projects, but will be insufficient if, for example, the tank needs to be replaced. 

The water commission raised its rates for the first time in 2011. The town-run water system has been in existence since the early 1980s. 

"We're exposed," MacDonald said. "We no longer have the financial cushion to face the aging structure of the water system. In the last two years, there was one crisis after another. The system is reaching a point where it's no longer hands-free."

Commission members said that they have proposed a 15-point rate increase for its customers. The water commission serves 500-559 Tolland customers. 

The water commission also expressed its need to win a long-pending diversion permit from the state DEEP. Commission members explained that the state only allows the TWC to pump a restricted amount of water a day from its two wells, a limit that has been a "nuisance" due to growing demands over the years from customers such as the and Big Y. 

The TWC said that the DEEP has refused the permit, citing concerns over potential effects on the Willimantic River basin. The commission added that it has conducted tests to illuminate the effects on the basin.

MacDonald said the permit would save the water commission around $25,000 a year since the TWC would no longer have to rely on Connecticut Water to help supply water to the northern half of its system, members said. 

The WPCA brought its own issues to the council, emphasizing its need to increase its customer base to make the public utility more financially viable. 

Right now, the WPCA serves around 75 customers, but could hook up to 200-300 houses on its current system of 11 miles of sewer mains. The majority of Tolland houses use septic systems, according to the WPCA.

WPCA Vice-chair Jim Williams pointed out that the utility not only provides sewer services, but is also charged with protecting Tolland's water supply from pollution.

"The protection of the town's water system is not just the sewer system," he said. The authority also monitors septic systems that may not be up to code, among other responsibilities, he said.

Both utilities also called for more staffing assistance. The town has not yet replaced former town engineer Jennifer Usher, who .

For more information on the TWC and the WPCA, visit the town website.