WILTON — The water district superintendent recommended a proactive assessment of the town’s water plant Tuesday as the Board of Selectpersons toured the plant.

It’s not for today but down the road, a plan for the future, Justin Futia said as he showed board members corrosion on the large tanks that filter the town’s drinking water from Varnum Pond.

The plant, built in 1993, is in good shape but Futia wanted the board to be aware of potential issues with the filter tanks and an aging main-transmission line, the risk of failure and consequences of any failure, he said.

Efforts taken sooner rather than later could mean costs in thousands instead of millions, he said.

Above the hum of the tanks, Futia suggested to board members that the town could consider liners for the tank and work on a cross-line support of the tank currently facing corrosive action, Chair Tiffany Maiuri explained afterwards.

When the town’s Public Works crew begins road work on Sunset Avenue this summer, replacement of a few feet of water transmission line buried and crossing beneath the road will be done at a cost of a few hundred dollars in materials. The road will already be torn up, he said. 

Roads open for highway projects provide a good time to replace the aging underground line, he said. 

The town’s water distribution system is over a hundred years old. Most of the main transmission lines are buried less than three-feet deep, he said.

While some original wood lines can still be seen, the line was changed to asbestos covered transite pipe. With this type of pipe so close to the surface, cracks can develop and cause a break, he said.

Prior to their regular meeting, the board toured the mostly self-maintained facility. The operation is inspected everyday to ensure water provision for town residents but it basically runs itself, he said.

abryant@sunmediagroup.net

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