Middlebury planning upgrades to wastewater system

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. (WCAX) - The town of Middlebury is early in the planning phases for maintenance to its wastewater system.

Middlebury Wastewater Facility Superintendent Bob Wells has been working around this equipment for years. He says it’s just about time for maintenance on their facility.

“Mostly replacement of equipment or process,” Wells said.

The facility was built in 2000. Wells says he believes it’s time to make some necessary upgrades to avoid facility failures.

“The equipment, the valving-- it’s all getting older. Rather than have a failure, we want to replace it now and we will be able to continue to move along,” Wells said.

The initial assessment put the maintenance project at about $18 million but more assessments need to be done before any price is determined. Weaved into that price are significant upgrades meant to create a more efficient and cleaner system.

“You gotta say to yourself, you say, well, do you want to replace it with the same piece of equipment that you have had, you have had some success with it but are there better things out there that you want to pick out in the market and utilize those pieces of equipment instead,” Wells said.

That could mean how they process solid and liquid waste, as well as some of the general nuts and bolts of the system.

Something Wells sees as allowing for flexibility down the line as tech updates-- he says upgrades could also them more space at the facility for more input of waste.

The Department of Environmental Conservation says conversations like this are happening all over the state.

“Like a lot of places in the country, we see that there is a lot of older infrastructure in Vermont,” said Amy Polaczyk of the DEC.

The state keeps tabs on 98 municipal wastewater management facilities and many are looking to do some work and there is some state money to help.

“Even though there is unprecedented funding, there is also unprecedented need from our communities,” said Lynnette Claudon of the DEC.

The DEC says the federal Clean Water Act turns 50 years old this month, and that means some of the infrastructure that was a product of the funding from the law is coming due for replacement.

Back in Middlebury, Wells says he also wants to help the facility maintain a greener footprint.

“Using different technologies so we aren’t wasting a valuable resource the town of Middlebury has,” Wells said.

That means upgrading equipment so they use less water, or adding a digester that would create methane for heat.

And whether it be green technology or general maintenance, he believes investment now, means staying ahead.

“We want to be ahead of it, rather than behind it,” Wells said.

Copyright 2022 WCAX. All rights reserved.