Firm Picked For Fairfield Hills Wastewater Management

By John Voket

The decision to accept a ten-year, $4.5 million contract to manage a key utility at the Fairfield Hills complex is water under the bridge as far as the town Board of Selectmen are concerned.

With no residents or taxpayers in attendance to question details of the proposal, selectmen swiftly voted Tuesday evening to contract the Aquarion Operating Services Company of Bridgeport to operate wastewater treatment facilities pursuant to the town’s acquisition of the sprawling former state hospital and grounds.

The proposed operating and maintenance agreement for the first year of service is estimated to cost the town $454,858. The contract would also mandate the establishment of an additional $95,000 WPCA nonroutine repair and maintenance fund.

Prior to the unanimous vote, Selectman Joseph Bojnowski raised concerns over what he believed to be certain elements in the contract that might be interpreted as open-ended, leaving room for the operator to inflate its compensation beyond the budgeted cap designated in the agreement.

“Utilities tend to use these [adjustments] to expand their profits,” Mr Bojnowski said.

He also asked to clarify certain long-term fixed costs in relation to the proposed length of the contract.

“Do we absolutely know what increases to expect in the operation five to eight years out?” he asked. “We could see this [contract] balloon out.”

First Selectman Herbert Rosenthal clarified variables like flow capacity and the potential for new users faced other considerations.

“The flow has some limits — our part of the plan is at capacity,” Mr Rosenthal said. “And the state’s flow from the prison has been relatively constant. We can’t increase the flow unless we purchase more capacity from the state.”

Mr Rosenthal said the system would be prevented from bringing on new users unless the town Water Pollution Control Authority voted to increase capacity. He also clarified the usage costs to the town saying, “The only place taxpayers pay for usage is for the town buildings.”

Praising the WPCA, Mr Rosenthal pointed out that its members’ reviewing and refining the contract helped bring the final agreement in under the current contractor’s bid by more than $50,000 annually.

“That’s saving the taxpayers more than a half-million dollars over the life of the contract,” Mr Rosenthal said.

He also noted that the town would expect to see Aquarion make certain capital improvements in and around Fairfield Hills that would also enhance the value of the town’s relationship with Aquarion.

Based on the agreement, and the current operating limitations of the facilities at Fairfield Hills, Aquarion would provide all personnel and benefits, chemicals, fuels, and office phone and communications systems. The company would also provide other required supplies and consumables, maintenance (as stipulated in the contract), disposal of process residue and other wastes, as well as in-house or third-party laboratory testing.

The contract stipulates that Aquarion would not be responsible for any electricity or natural gas required to operate the facilities, expenses for town employees, office space, or fire protection. The town would also bear the burden for expenses resulting from changing the scope of services, changes in permit costs, or changes to applicable laws that might increase operating expenses.

However, if these changes were to result in savings, the savings would be passed through to the town.

Aquarion would not be responsible for costs resulting from certain natural disasters or occurrences, defined at length as force majeure in the agreement; expenses for capital improvements beyond the scope of the contract; expenses for emergency sewer and/or water main repair or replacement, sewer lateral or water service line replacement, or repair/replacement of fire hydrants.

The contract also stipulates Aquarion would not be responsible for municipal or private surveillance and/or alarm monitoring by municipal or third-party vendors, and any engineering or other professional services outside the scope of the agreement.

If any expenditure is made on behalf of the town, and consented to in writing by the town, Aquarion would be reimbursed as specified in the agreement.

A copy of the complete contract is available for review at Edmond Town Hall.