LOST LAKE WASTEWATER PLANNING

1
LOST LAKE WASTEWATER PLANNING

• Presented by The Lost Lake Sewer Committee
• And
• Woodard Curran
• February 2009

2
History of Wastewater Planning

• Lost Lake Sewer Committee
• History of Sewer Planning
• Wastewater Issues
• Solutions
• Comprehensive Wastewater
• Management Plan
• Funding Needs Plans
• Moving Forward

3
Lost Lake Sewer Committee

• Committee Established by Board of Selectmen
  September 2008
• Five Members
• Tom Doyle, Chairman
• Angela Garger
• Reverend Jean Wright
• Carol Quinn

4
Lost Lake Sewer Committee Charter

• Committees Charter
• Research Feasibility of Wastewater Treatment
  Facility
• Identify and Research Feasible Locations and
  Costs
• Identify Potential Users
• Research Cost Estimates and Potential Funding
  Sources
• Establish Boundaries
• Recommend New District Management
• Structure
• Role of Existing Sewer Department/Enterprise Fund
• Recommend Action Complete Planning
• Report to 2009 Town Meeting

5
History of Wastewater Planning

• Historical Wastewater Planning in Groton
• Nashua River Basin Water Quality Management Plan
  1975
• Study of Sewerage Needs, Evaluation of
  Alternatives for Groton, Massachusetts 1977
• Areawide Water Quality Management Program 1979
• Facilities Planning Report 1982
• Pre-Drawdown Inventory Lost Lake/Knops Pond
  System, Groton, Massachusetts 1992
• Phase I Infiltration and Inflow Study 2002
• Interim Inflow Removal Program Report 2002
• Capacity Management Plan (CMP) and Inflow Removal
  Program - 2002

6
History of Wastewater Planning

• Fall 2002
• Board of Selectmen Sewer Commissioners
• Initiated Planning Program to Provide Wastewater
  Solutions for Next 20 Years
• Town Appropriated 330,000
• Fall 2005
• Report Completed With Following Recommendations
• Lost Lake/Knops Pond Need Comprehensive Watershed
  Management Program
• Reduction of Nutrient Loading
• Additional Planning Required
• Fall 2008
• Lost Lake Sewer Committee Established

7
2005 Wastewater Report Issues

• Report Identified the Following
• Antiquated On-Site Wastewater Disposal
  Contributes to Failure Rates
• All lots on Lost Lake Serviced By Private Water
  and Wastewater Systems
• Failing and/or Improperly Operating On-Site
  Wastewater Systems Threat to Potable Water
• Many Lots Less Than ½ Acre Difficult to
  Repair/Upgrade On-Site Wastewater Systems

8
2005 Wastewater Report Issues

• Severe Soil and Groundwater Conditions
• Fast Perc Rates lt2 minutes per inch (mpi)
• Severe Slope Conditions Fast Groundwater Travel
  to Lake
• Threat to Lake Resource
• High Nutrient Concentrations in Lake
• Phosphorus
• Fecal Coliform

9
2005 Wastewater Report Issues
10
2005 Wastewater Report Issues

• Specific Title 5 Problems Although System
  Fits on a Lot, Issues Present include
• Watershed Impacts
• Location of Drinking Water Well
• Soil Characteristics
• Groundwater Conditions
• Tight Tanks 77 Percent in Lost Lake Area
• Density of Systems
• Variances Required Threat to Environment
• Aesthetical Issues

11
2005 Wastewater Report Issues

• Typical On-Site Wastewater System Land Area Need
• Does Not Take Into Account Lost Lake Land
  Attributes
• On-Site Drinking Water
• Wetland Areas
• Lake in Backyard

12
2005 Wastewater Report Solutions

• Need to Complete Comprehensive Wastewater
  Management Plan (CWMP)
• Additional Work Needed to Determine Lost Lake
  Solution
• Overall Wastewater Planning Goals for Groton
• Document Public Health and Environmental Risks
• Perform Alternatives Analysis
• Identify Short List of Solutions
• Develop a Townwide Public Education Program
• Together, with Public Input, Develop a
  Recommended Plan
• Identify Funding Options

13
Comprehensive Wastewater Mgmt Plan (CWMP)

• Phase I (2005 Report) Complete
• File With Environmental Notification Form (ENF)
• Starts Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act
  (MEPA)
• Scope of Work For Phases II III
• Alternatives Analysis
• Hydrogeological Testing Soils and Groundwater
• Identify Potential Local Groundwater Discharge
  Site(s)
• Potential Innovative/Alternative Solutions
• Potential Regional Solutions
• Establish Recommended Plan
• Potential for Wastewater Treatment Facility
  (WWTF)
• Establish Most Technically Feasible Location

14
Funding Needs Plans

• Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
• Grant/Loan Programs
• Income Survey Process - Costs
• Groton Workshop
• Friday, February 13, 2009 Town Hall 1000 AM
• Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan -
  Phases II and III - 300,000
• State Revolving Fund (SRF)
• Application Process
• Potential Future 0 Construction Funding
  (2009-2019)

15
Funding Schedule Estimate

• State Revolving Fund Schedule
• Project Evaluation Form Due by August 15, 2009
• Project Evaluation Form Approval by December 2009
• Complete Loan Application Due on or Before
• October 15, 2010
• Application Approval by January 2011
• Funding Late 2010 or Early 2011
• Actual Date of Funding Varies on Completion of
  the Above Schedule

16
Moving Forward

• Complete Income Survey Process
• 2009 Town Meeting
• Funding to Complete Comprehensive Wastewater
  Management Plan - Phases II III
• Develop Implement Public Participation/Education
  Plan
• TOGETHER WE BUILD A BETTER PLAN