By Jim Taylor

Public Works Director Fred Hurley reported to the Board of Selectmen at its June 2 meeting that $2.2 million is coming to Newtown from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The money is to help reimburse the town for damages done during the August 18, 2024, storm and flooding.

Hurley reported it was "the best news" that FEMA "was out of it" and that the money was being disbursed by the state. Everything has been approved and is ready to go, and as projects such as work at Eichler's Cove, the schools, and the affected bridges such as Jacklyn and Stony Brook are completed and paper work is submitted, the state will issue checks reimbursing 75% of the costs.

"Now it's a matter of finishing the projects," said Hurley. "There's no worry the funding will be pulled, it's all committed."

Selectman Michelle Embree Ku called it, "fantastic news."

Hurley said a lot of the work is done so the reimbursements should "happen very quickly."

"There should be a fair amount of money coming in immediately," said Hurley, since most of the work repairing damage from the storm is already done.

The town could get additional reimbursements from state grants, but will not be able to get over 100% of the cost.

In related news, Hurley reported that he has continued to work with representatives from Aquarion regarding the wellfield that was shut down due to the storm. Additionally, town officials met with US Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (D-5) regarding the situation.

Jeff Ulrich, Aquarion’s vice-president of operations, previously told the BOS that a collapsed culvert on the Housatonic Railroad property caused by the flooding in August 2024 has blocked up and contaminated the streambed there with debris, forcing Aquarion to shut down a wellfield that was producing 1.2 to 1.3 million gallons of water per day to Newtown.

The debris continues a long way downstream as it has been washed further and further away over time. “Lots of the material [from the culvert] is still in the stream bed,” said Ulrich. “Right now our wellfield continues to be flooded and as a result, we can’t utilize it.”

On June 2, Hurley said a solution may be in the works. Several developers who have found their planned developments affected by the lack of water have been working on an engineering solution and the town is interested. However. due to state regulations, the town cannot accept anything like that without soliciting bids. Hurley is working on an Request For Proposal that the developers and any other interested parties can respond to.

Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.