Water Pollution Control Authority
About:
The Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) is a 5-member board comprised of volunteer members. Members are appointed to 4-year terms. They are responsible for the administration and maintenance of the Hockanum Sewer System, the Crystal Lake Sewer System and providing direction for the future of the sewer service areas.
All sewer maintenance in the Town of Ellington is managed by the Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) in collaboration with the Public Works Department. The Sewer Division within Public Works includes a Crew Chief and two Maintainer I staff members, who are responsible for the day-to-day operation and upkeep of the sewer system. Their duties include performing repairs, routine cleaning, maintaining pump stations, and servicing town-owned grinder pumps, as well as providing emergency response when needed.
Enforcement of sewer regulations—including illegal discharges, required property connections, and permit compliance—is governed by town ordinances. Violations may result in fines and other enforcement actions.
The Tax Collector maintains the sewage fees collection system. Thomas Modzelewski is the WPCA Administrator and oversees the Water Pollution Control operation. He may be reached at 860-870-3140. The WPCA is maintained by a Crew Chief and two Maintainer I's through the Public Works Department.
What do your fees pay for? The Town of Ellington does not have a treatment plant. The effluent is sent to either the Town of Vernon or the Town of Stafford at a per-gallon rate. The fees paid by the users go to fund the maintenance of Ellington's 7 pump stations and 112 grinder pumps at Crystal Lake. The WPCA is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergencies.
Important Information:
Sump Pumps:
Pursuant to section §143-6.H of the Ellington Town code:
No person shall make connection of roof downspouts, exterior foundation drains, areaway drains, or other sources of surface runoff or groundwater to a building sewer or building drain which, in turn, is connected directly or indirectly to a public sanitary sewer.
Additionally, pursuant to section §143-16 of the Ellington Town code:
A. Any person who shall violate any provision of this article except § 143-15 shall be served by the Town with written notice stating the nature of the violation and providing a time limit for the satisfactory correction thereof. The offender shall, within the period of time stated in such notice, permanently cease all violations.
B. Any person who shall violate any provision of this article may be fined not more than $100. Each day that any violation of this article continues and each day that person continues to discharge prohibited wastes or substances into any public sanitary sewer shall be deemed a separate offense for the purpose of applying the above penalty.
Water Softeners, Iron/Manganese Removal Filters:
Pursuant to section 19-13-B103d (b) of the Connecticut Public Health Code, prohibited are the: “Discharge of wastewater from water treatment systems (i.e. water softeners, iron or manganese removal filters) to surface water, sanitary sewer system, subsurface sewage disposal system or to the ground surface…unless otherwise authorized by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.” Additionally, Chapter 143, Article II, Sections 143-7, C.6 & C.7 of the Ellington Code prohibit these discharges to public sewers as well.
When a water softener system discharges into the sanitary sewer it creates both infrastructure damage and end treatment difficulties. The WPCA does have the authority to inspect private property if there is a presumed illegal discharge. Violations of the Code are subject to fines in the amount of: “not more than $100” per day after the time limit provided in the written notice of violation expires (§143-16).
