Norwich Public Utilities making major improvements to its drinking water system

Claire Bessette

Norwich ― Norwich Public Utilities is taking advantage of unprecedented increases in federal grant support to launch several water system improvement projects.

These including upgrading water tanks, installing a major water line and locating any remaining lead lines to customer homes.

The utility needed City Council approval Monday to increase financing for two projects and add a new plan to repair the city’s main water line that brings water from the Deep River reservoir and treatment plant in Lebanon into Norwich.

The federal bipartisan infrastructure law provided funding to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which sends Connecticut’s share to the state Department of Public Health. DPH provides grants and low-cost loans through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, NPU spokesman Chris Riley said.

NPU General Manager Chris LaRose said the loan costs already are built into current rates, so no rate increases will be needed. No city tax money will be used for the projects.

Because of delays in obtaining approvals, costs have escalated on the planned aeration upgrades to the 250,000-gallon water tank on Richard Brown Drive in Montville and the 670,000-gallon tank in the Stanley Israelite Norwich Business Park. Each project increased from $1.8 million to $2 million.

The water tank projects will receive 30% grant funding and a 70% loan from the drinking water fund. Riley said in the past, such projects would only qualify for 6% to 8% grant portions, so it makes sense to pursue the big projects now.

NPU received approval from the council for a new $2.9 million repair to the major water line that runs from Lebanon through Bozrah into Norwich. The line crosses a bridge just below the troublesome Fitchville Dam in Bozrah, where cracks and leaks during flooding on Jan. 10 prompted an emergency evacuation order and led to emergency measures to protect the dam.

LaRose said NPU already has repaired damage to the earth supporting the water line caused by the flood.

The project will address corrosion to the steel on a 100-foot-long utility bridge that braces the 30-inch water main beneath the Fitchville Road bridge over the Yantic River just below the dam. Construction is expected to start in fall of 2025, with 20% grant and 80% loan funding, LaRose said.

NPU discovered some good news pertaining to the final planned water project. In a 2023 survey of water lines from streets into residential homes, NPU officials had expected to find hundreds of old remaining lead and copper lines. Instead, only four lead pipes were discovered.

“Back in 1980s, NPU replaced all lead lines in the streets, but we were not allowed to touch customer-owned lines (from the street into homes),” LaRose said. “We’re finding that many owners had them replaced on their own without recording it.”

Even so, the City Council agreed to allow NPU to increase funding from $500,000 to $2 million to verify the makeup of residential water lines into homes to discover any additional lead pipes. Inspections are planned to verify the materials in 340 lines, including 170 that will require basement inspections.

The additional water line surveys are funded through an 80% grant and 20% loan. The survey results are due to the state in October, LaRose said.

Public invited to weigh in on Gold Star Memorial Bridge sidewalk proposal

John Penney

New London ― The public is invited to comment Monday on a state plan to improve pedestrian and cyclist access to the Gold Star Memorial Bridge.

The state Department of Transportation will host a presentation and question-and-answer session at 7 p.m. at New London City Hall, 181 State St., related to planned improvements to the Interstate 95 southbound bridge sidewalk.

The project calls for widening the existing 5-foot-wide sidewalk, along with the east and west approaches to the bridge. A spur path will be added connecting to Williams Street in New London. The Bridge Street intersection in Groton will also be reconfigured to allow for easier bridge access.

The $55.5 million project, tentatively slated to begin in 2028, will be 90% funded with federal funds and the remainder covered with state money.

The in-person meeting will also be available via Zoom. Registration for the virtual public information meeting is at https://portal.ct.gov/DOTGoldStar94-267VPIM. Registration is required to participate virtually.

Members of the public can submit comments and questions during the two-week public comment period after the meeting. Comments and questions can be submitted by July 8 to DOT.GoldStarBridgeProjects@ct.gov or (860) 594-2020.

Norwalk signs off officially on $47M in renovations at Jefferson School amid a wave of construction

Kalleen Rose Ozanic

NORWALK — Renovations at Jefferson Marine Science Elementary School are officially complete, improving the building with an updated gymnasium, cafeteria and kitchen, among other upgrades.

The school district unveiled the $47 million project two years ago with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, but documents now reflect the renovate-as-new project is officially complete, according to Nick Dua, communications and marketing director for Norwalk Public Schools.

The “complete interior renovation” also upgraded the main office and administration areas of the school and all of the classrooms.The cafeteria often houses school board workshops that bring in members of the community.

“The site was modified to improve the arrivals and drop-off at the school with a new separate bus loop and parent drop off area installed,” according to a document Construction Solutions Group, the contractor, sent to the Board of Education to request approval for the completion of the project.

Despite the ribbon-cuttting in 2022, the close-out this month hinged on the district's retainage Construction Solutions Group, the project's contactor. A retainage is a portion of payment withheld until all work is complete.

"Retainage includes, but not limited to punch list items and warrantee items," Dua said in an email Tuesday. "It is not out of the ordinary to see these items completed (two years) after (move-in) date especially on a ($47 million) project like Jefferson."

The school board approved the completed renovations unanimously at its regular board meeting on June 4. Now that the project is officially complete, the state can reimburse the district for its share of the project cost, Dua said.

The Jefferson renovations come amid a wave of upgrades across the district.

Norwalk Public Schools closed out on the construction of the Cranbury School’s new campus just before school started, broke ground on the new South Norwalk School and Norwalk High School in April, and last month secured $21.5 million in state grant funding to update or replace heating, air conditioning and ventilation units across the district.

144,000-sq.ft. warehouse proposed in Manchester

Skyler Frazer

Amore than 144,000-square-foot warehouse has been proposed in Manchester along the East Hartford town line, according to town documents.

Luzern Associates LLC, a Greenwich-based real estate investment firm with another office in Boston, recently submitted applications to construct a 144,074-square-foot distribution center at 71 and 81 Commerce Road. The group is seeking an inland wetland permit, special-use exception and approval of an erosion and sediment control plan.

The property is 19.98 acres and plans call for 28 loading docks, two drive-in doors, 15 trailer storage spaces and 127 parking spaces in addition to the warehouse and distribution center.

No tenants are listed in the project application.

The parcel has industrial properties to the east and south, residential properties to the west in East Hartford and interstate 291 to the north. According to plans submitted by developers, the project’s design was done in consideration of the residential properties on the west side of the property by placing the loading docks on the east side and setting back the building at least 150 feet with natural buffers like trees and shrubbery planned.

With applications officially submitted to the town’s Planning and Economic Development Department, municipal staff will now prepare their own report about the project ahead of the next Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.