Posted on 05/23/2005 7:39:28 AM PDT by chapin2500
PROVINCETOWN - The town's sewer system is out of hot water with the state Department of Environmental Protection.
''At this point we've been out to the site, we have inspected it,'' said DEP spokesman Joseph Ferson. ''It looks like everything is a go. We're going to issue a return-to-compliance letter.''
In November, the DEP issued a notice of noncompliance, because of several August overflows of raw sewage along the sewage collection system. The town was given 180 days to fix the problems with its sewer system.
The August trouble appeared to stem from difficulties in assuring the smooth flow of wastewater from a few connected properties. Constructing the connections for the system were an engineering challenge, according to engineers for the town's sewer contractor, Wakefield-based Metcalf & Eddy Inc., because of the town's crowded, antique streetscape and the high water table.
Provincetown's director of public works, David Guertin, said Metcalf & Eddy returned the system to compliance by making a number of capital improvements, including changing impellers, and putting in a new flow-splitter and double-buffer tank.
What remains to be resolved is whether the town or the engineering firm will bear the cost of the improvements or whether they will share the costs.
Metcalf & Eddy has a 20-year, nearly $20 million contract to construct and maintain the system.
''We agreed, the town and Metcalf and Eddy, that first let's fix the problem, second, let's discuss whether it's within the realm of the contract or beyond the realm of the contract,'' said Guertin. ''Those meetings will be occurring shortly.'' He said the cost of the improvements was as yet undefined.
The sewer system came online in July 2003 and provides wastewater removal for almost 500 connections along Commercial Street and short sections of Bradford Street.
While there has been discussion of a possible second phase of construction that would allow more connections, Guertin said there are no plans as yet to do so. He said the capacity of the town's wastewater treatment plant could potentially accommodate nearly 500 more connections.
low fiber diets are often to blame
Another waste of taxpayer money. It would have been simpler to have educated P-Towners not to flush their dead gerbils.
I hate to think what is in those pipes.
More poopie problems for P-town... Karma? Discuss amongst yourselves.
In Provincetown, High Protein diets are the norm.
Im thinkin thats too much information
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