Best Solution: Upgrade Old Saybrook Septic Systems, Officials Say

Town officials say upgrading individual septic systems is the cheapest and most reasonable solution to prevent water pollution from seeping into the groundwater.

[Check the facts]

All Old Saybrook residents should be aware of what they are voting for!! Be VERY careful, if this referendum passes we will be putting our community in danger. The WPCA and the town want you to pass an ordinance that is vague and provides the TOWN with TOO MUCH POWER over private properties. In order to do this the town has divided its citizens against each other in an unfair battle where 70% of the town is told they will not be impacted while selling the other 30% of the citizens—citizens already burdened with highest taxes and least benefit—up the river. Many of these seasonal shoreline homes have been in families for years and are often owned by people on fixed incomes. If you want to stop development, stop this referendum. Who do you think will purchase the home in the beach areas when those living in them now are unable to bear the cost of a decentralized sewer system? Don’t be fooled. This WILL change the face of Old Saybrook and there is a reason why NO OTHER shoreline town has chosen this approach.

[Former CT Resident]

Why not use the funds that chief Mosac obtained illegally to pay for all of this? He has stated that the money is to supposed to be used for the good of the town.

[Not in Kansas]

The question for the citizens of Old Saybrook is really who and what do you believe will happen? The Pace administration has been practicing the politics of divide and conquer pitting north of the highway against the beaches, Main Street businesses against Boston Post Road businesses, newcomers against long term residents, the list goes on and on. The current ploy uses a decades old issue to further tear apart the town and increase his power to shape it to the “Pace Vision.”

Tell 70% of the town that they won’t pay for the Waste Water Management District plan, but they will have to pay for a state mandated municipal sewerage treatment plant. Keep lowering the published “estimated costs” to the property owners in the WWMD and raising the “estimated costs” for the DEP plan in the press. Throw in the red herring of New Jersey or Florida coast style development resulting from the presence of sewers.“Promise” the other 30% of property owners that they will qualify for grants and low cost loans so that their new septic systems will cost them “little or nothing,” while running a pipe from their house to the sewer main will be very expensive. Further lie and tell them that the cost of waste water flowing to a public owned utility will be greater than the cost of fresh water coming from The Connecticut Water Company.

Just don’t tell them the truth. Don’t tell them that the reason the State of Connecticut is currently negotiating separate town waste water solutions with Clinton and Westbrook is the refusal of Old Saybrook to join a regional sewer system that was approved by the other two towns many years ago. Lie to the residents of Old Saybrook and tell them they will have to pay the full cost of a State built sewerage treatment plant. The CT Department of Environment Protection still wants a Regional solution. Any State built treatment plant built in Old Saybrook will quickly be connected to Westbrook and Clinton and more than likely Essex, Deep River, and Chester and the cost spread across the region. Not only that but high unemployment in the region would probably qualify the project for Federal funding.

But also, don’t tell the voters that it is far from certain that the State will build such a plant in Old Saybrook. They have already sold the land they owned on Ferry Road to the town. The land around the former town dump and old factory on North Cove has become a town park bordered by condos. Building “between the bridges” would require one or more marinas to be purchased via eminent domain and cost the state boat registration and saltwater fishing license fees.

Please vote NO to the Waste Water Management District on August 11.

[stueysplace]

It should be understood that a septic system liquifies the waste. It does nothing to purify it. In fact often the wast (effluent) coming from a septic system is worse than what went into it. This is especially true of the nitrates which do not break down in the soil. Any money used to upgrade septic systems it a total waste.

[Not in Kansas]

Yes but when you have a large group of local contractors who are already making money of the plan that requires the tank be pumped every five years. Giving them another gift requiring people to replace their tanks whether they have been proven to be failing or not you do make "jobs for the boys."

[pipey]

it is a proven fact that the pump out program has saved homeowners thousand of dollars from premature septic failure and has helped the enviroment, simpley due to the outlet baffle replacement or install if one was not there. just that fix alone has saved each home owner so they did not need a new leach field. not in kansas,we all have jobs to do,get your facts straight before you spill more pollution out your mouth !

[Not in Kansas]

Yeah! Anything you say Pipey. Truth is, if the town had installed the sewer system 20 years ago, the state and federal governments would have picked up the lion's share of the costs and we would have been done paying for the infrastucture that would last through my lifetime and very likely my children's. It is possible that without proper maintainance my leach field might have failed by now. But I would be faced with the $3000 cost of running a 20 ft pipe to the main not the unnecessary $12,000 -$45,000 cost of a new septic system. Of course, that means that you would have had to find another job a long time ago.

[pipey]

still spilling sludge hey karkas,20 years later we would be paying for a denitrafication upgrade and have a outdated plant that would need rebuilding. case and point, hartford mdc,how many hundred million in these times? hartford taxes are how high!if you want a plant go live at a town that has one,you have that right or vote for one here.also the gov. would be paying for it,well let me inform you that the money comes from us to them and then is given back to us at a low intrest rate.that should be clear,and for having a job,not a problem,i have many talents,not stuck pumping your !!!! you are entittled to you speak your mind but please,try to educate yourself on the subject,instead of just spilling pollution.

[Not in Kansas]

Very interesting if a $100 million plant will serve the needs of more than 1 million people, how can you and your friends dare to charge $45 million for fewer than 3000 people and try to scare 11,000 people with a $70 million price tag?

[pipey]

first off they are not my friends. secondly,the onsite will only be about 25-30 million if that.the sewer plant will run closer to 100 million. also looking at your numbers for the plant ,it seems its more than the 3000.00 you stated. listen,i do not believe everything that going on as well.i would like to know when the million bucks is going to be paid back from the hepburn place the town borrowed from the wpca.

[Not in Kansas]

Sorry, the quoted price tag of the onsite is $45 million and will no doubt grow as more contractors are licensed to build the above ground mixing and pumping models and can upsell them.(Hey if I won the lottery tonight I would probably incorporate one into the plans for the new house I would build. Great excuse for the extra coverge for a patio, as long as I include the manhole and cover). But I'm not going to win the lottery and I am not going to vote for the Wicked Weapon of Mass Distruction for our town. Unfair high taxes and "sewer avoidance" will only speed the Hamptonization of Old Saybrook.

[saybrook watch]

we need a new leader for starters in old saybrook, someone that has a clue and cares about the residents of this fine town.pace needs to go,and he can take larry bonin with him.i drive by hepburns place on main street and i see good ole larry out there with his own equipment playing on our dime.makes me wonder is larry double dipping with his junk on a town project,does larry have the proper lic for the job,does larry have to have the proper insurance for the job,i wonder if larry has workers comp on the dreggs of society he has working for him.this is saybrooks good ole boy club where good ole boys get away with alot of crap,if they pass this
new septic deal you will see paces little puppet larry bonin double dipping on all of our dimes.pace and bonin are both jokes,its time for change

[theprofit]

It's disgusting the way the same gadflies post here and write their sad pathetic letters to the editors every week. Your argument is simplistic- anti-progress, anti-mikepace, anti everything. It's ridiculous and ineffective. You come up on the losing side of every single issue. The budget, the Kate, the tax rates. As some point you have to look in the mirror and say, "I am wrong and will shut up now". Sad pathetic people. Go do a soduku and stop being speed bumps to progress.

[saybrook watch]

time for change!get rid of the good old boy club.

[use your head]

septic system will take valueable land away from you and cost you 43 millon but you people need a treatment plant for 4 towns in the area plus all those federal grants for sewers would have cost nearly the same its not a smart plan think with your head not your wallets