WPCA operations staff on Nov. 17 summarized monthly field work, project progress and a small sanitary sewer overflow (SSO) and presented a staff analysis showing a long-term decline in average wastewater flow. The board received multiple project updates, including progress at Port Point pump station and the temporary Killer Brook pump station, lining work in island areas, and scheduled surveys and borings for Ballen Street design.

Operations staff reported system activity for the month: about 3.5 miles of CCTV inspection, roughly 3.01 miles of sewer cleaning, 113 manhole inspections, 3.1 miles of SLRAT inspection, 10 service calls and 28 IPP site inspections. Plant operations staff said both north and south chlorine contact tanks were cleaned and that nitrogen performance was about 490 pounds per day.

The staff presenter described one sanitary sewer overflow on Lexington Avenue that occurred the day after a heavy rain event. "There was a surcharge in the sanitary sewer on Lexington, and the sewage came out of the manhole and went to a catch basin," the presenter said, noting the response, required notifications and additional cleaning and televising in the area. Staff said the event stopped quickly and permit reporting (DMR/MOR/NAR) was completed for October.

Staff also requested two MRR (major repair and replacement) projects: an arc flash study (a minimum five-year requirement) and replacement/repair of generator load-bank coils and relays to permit load-testing at recommended 80–90% (staff said chattering coils have limited testing to about 40%, which risks wet stacking). Two vendor quotes were obtained and staff said the lower qualified bidder was selected. A board member asked about whether these costs were budgeted; another board member said all costs in the agreement are already budgeted and accounted for.

Project updates included: continued temporary bypass and anticipated early-next-month start-up at Port Point pump station; Insituform lining largely complete at specified island locations with a few challenging manholes remaining; Beacon Street sanitary sewer work moving from Beacon and Sunset toward Willow Street and Armstrong; and Woodard & Curran conducting a survey and planned borings for Ballen Street to support a 30% design and cost estimate.

During open discussion, staff summarized a 20-year flow analysis published for public view: "20 years ago we were about 14,200,000 gallons per day to the wastewater treatment plant" and "today ... we're at 12,200,000 gallons per day," a staff presenter said, noting a roughly 2,000,000-gallon-per-day reduction attributed to more efficient appliances, infrastructure investments (lining and separation), and related work. The presenter said those numbers support the WPCA's consent-order submissions to DEEP. Board members congratulated staff; one member also noted anecdotal sturgeon sightings in the river and harbor, which staff confirmed in at least one nearby location.

What happens next: staff will proceed with the MRR procurement and repairs, finalize project designs and return with 30% design/cost proposals where required; staff will also continue to monitor and report on overflows and DEEP-required reporting.