Water. Excess water has been an ongoing source of consternation for the Boothbay Harbor Sewer District Trustees for several months now and is about to become a concern for some Boothbay Harbor residents.

At their February 7 meeting, trustees Paul Jarkiewicz and Robert Muller, plant manager Chris Higgins, and Wright-Pierce representatives, David Hughes and Brian Cataldo, reviewed the November 15-16, 2006 smoke testing results.

The testing encompassed 19,700 linear feet (or 3.7 miles) of sewer. The testing program was carried out to determine the origin of water entering the sewer from privately owned, aboveground sewers off of Bay Street, Campbell Street and Park Street.

Downtown locations were also tested to identify information on roof leader, sump pumps and foundation drains that were illegally connected to the sewer line.

Sources identified in the testing included building roof leaders, potentially uncapped service cleanouts and unidentifiable piping, a catch basin, and the locations of problematic manholes.

The Wright-Pierce report revealed seven buildings with plumbing deficiencies. The report advised the sewer district to formally notify each of these owners and to inform them that the presence of smoke is an indicator of possible sewer gases that could be entering the buildings.

There were six manhole sites that were identified as needing repair at Commercial Street Ext., Signal Point Condominiums, McKown Street and Todd Avenue, Howard Street and Bay Street.

In some instances, the manholes require raising and sealing rims, and grouting riser joints.

At other locations, smoke was not visible anywhere. According to the report, "not smoking" can be indicative of such plumbing problems as a trapped service connection, a plugged vent pipe, or a vent pipe that is broken or cut off in the attic of the building.

The district was advised to notify the owners of the 15 "non-smoking" sites and request that they schedule a plumbing inspection to identify the problem.

Wright-Pierce advised the district to perform house-to-house inspections at these 15 locations.

All parties agreed that the testing, while successful in identifying several problems, should be repeated in some areas because the testing took place during days of heavy rain.

These weather conditions caused the wastewater treatment facility to experience high water flows that are indicative of high groundwater. When water is above the sewer pipe, groundwater infiltrates the sewer lines.

High ground water prevents the smoke, generated by a gasoline-powered blower, from identifying cracked or compromised pipe.

Hughes said the next step is to contact the homeowners that have been identified as source sites and re-investigate the sites where there was smoke, but where the reason was unclear.

In addition to the house-to-house inspections, homeowners will receive a letter stating these additional quarterly rates approved by the trustees: $55 for cellar drains, $150 for sump pumps or foundation drains.

Homeowners will also find a list of options/methods for disconnecting from the sewer, and, thereby eliminating the additional fees.

Muller asked Hughes to describe situations that could be considered hardship cases from his experience.

Hughes replied that in cases, such as restaurants in a downtown area, exceptions have been made in other towns where no other option exists but to be connected to a wastewater treatment plant.

Because there are businesses in Boothbay Harbor that do not have anywhere to re-route water, it was agreed that exceptions would be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Wright-Pierce recommended the district continue studying water infiltration sources and identify the upgrades necessary to reduce this clean water infiltration.

Further, Wright-Pierce advised the district to conduct instantaneous night flow monitoring in specific areas for three nights - one day during high groundwater, dry weather in early spring; one day during high groundwater and wet weather in late spring, and during dry weather and low ground water in fall.

The district should review the television inspection visuals at specified locations to identify needed repairs to the sewer system.

Other recommendations include reviewing video of specific locations, house-to-house surveys and dye testing.

Higgins reported receiving many calls on the facility's capacity and said there is a distinction between treatment capacity and conveyance or collection capacity.

"Treatment capacity for our facility is 640,000 gallons, and even during peak periods, we can handle it," Higgins said. "The capacity problem we have been talking about is in certain parts of the collection system. We are looking to regain the capacity being lost here to inflow and infiltration sources of water entering the system."

The trustees received a letter from West Boothbay Harbor resident Brian Schutrumpf stating the need for a service connection to the facility for current and future homeowners on the west side of West Harbor Pond and an offer of assistance.

Wrote Schutrumpf, "…The Boothbay Harbor Sewer District will someday have to cross the pond and the sooner this is accomplished the less adverse impact on the pond.

"Either the district can follow the road across or go under the pond. This service connection can be either placed on the state's property adjacent to mine or on my property…"

Schutrumpf recently received a permit from the state to go beneath the Pond to access the wastewater plant.

The trustees agreed that the issue needed to be addressed, but first, an on-site inspection was necessary as was devising a long-term plan, before action could be taken. Further, there should be public input.

Higgins may be contacted at 633-4663, Monday through Friday, to address any resident questions or concerns.