Cheshire Treatment Plant: Round Two

For the second year in a row, Cheshire voters will be asked to approve a referendum question for a multi-million dollar upgrade to the town's Waste Water Treatment Plant. 

This year's funding request of $31.3 million is about $1 million more than last year's cost. The upgrade remains one of the town's most expensive construction projects ever proposed.

The treatment plant project is one of 24 requested in this year's Capital Expenditure Budget released by Town Manager Michael Milone. The total spending request is totals $41 million.

Milone writes that a recently approved state grant from the Clean Water Fund will reduce the final cost of the treatment plant project to $24 million. A low interest loan from the same state fund will allow the town to borrow funds at an interest rate of 2 percent.

Given the short time frame for approving the capital budget — about seven weeks if a project must go to referendum — Milone said the Town Council could implement a series of preplanning budget workshops begin the review process at an earlier stage. He suggests the process could include the Board of Education, the Water Pollution Control Authority, the Public Building Commission and possibly other boards.

on the capital budget beginning on Wednesday at 7 p.m. A public hearing on the proposed spending plan will be held Tuesday, August 21 at 7:30 p.m. with the Water Pollution Control Authority.