Editor's note: The following was posted at wiscasset.gov Sept. 10 as part of selectmen's Sept. 15 meeting packet. It is Plant Superintendent Robert T. Lalli's report on August, including Maine Department of Environmental Protection's Aug. 19 inspection and Wiscasset's Aug. 26 meeting with DEP Commissioner Melanie Loyzim and other DEP officials, about the plant's future.

BUDGET: With 16.6% of the fiscal year gone, the Sewer Department has spent 11.04% of its budget. With 16.6% of the fiscal year gone, the Sewer Department has received 17.4% of needed revenue to fund the budget.

VIOLATIONS/FECAL COLIFORMS TROUBLES: In August, the Wiscasset Sewer Plant experienced conditions which led to 4 incidences (out of 10 total samplings) of violating our permit daily limit of 31 cfu/100ml for fecal coliforms. Those results were, in cfu/100ml, were 38, 45, 48, and 70. Our attempts to fix the problem included cleaning and alternating our chlorine contact tanks, as well as increasing (with each violating result) our disinfection chemical feed. It is also possible that aging equipment in our 34-year-old circular clarifier tanks is wearing out.

We found these violations (regarding) fecal a bit puzzling, as our efforts and increased disinfection chemical feed did not produce our normally compliant results. Also, our simultaneous test results for Enterococci Bacteria (supposedly a better barometer of bacterial contamination) were within permit limits all month.

We stayed in contact with our DEP Representative, Ben Pendleton throughout the month, informing him of our actions on this. He did mention that another sewer plant in the area was experiencing the same problem, and that it may be possible that regional drought conditions were causing our influent sewage to contain much more highly concentrated fecal bacteria levels (low amounts of rainfall, and no inflow & infiltration of groundwater into the pipes means less dilution in the system).

Stay tuned. We are continuing to run fecal coliforms testing and our result from yesterday, 9/9/2026, was 4 cfu/100 ml, well within our permit limit of 31.

BID OPENING: On 8/12/2026, a public bid opening took place at the Wiscasset Town Offices, for badly needed upgrades to five of our pumping stations. T-Buck was the only bidder, who bid $4.52 million. Olver Associates Engineers thought that bids would come in at just over $4 million. The bid is currently being considered.

These upgrades are urgently needed, particularly at undersized (and always a threat to overflow during 2"+ rainstorms) pump station #3 (341 Bath Road), and pump station #4 (818 Gardiner Road), which came close to overflowing last week when the Community Center needed to perform several pool filter backwash cycles.

The three other pump stations to be upgraded will have new controls installed at ground level (the old underground controls are corroding), and will spare sewer employees from needing to enter dangerous underground confined spaces each week.

I urge the Select Board to approve this bid and address these vital upgrades. Further delay will only result in higher costs in the future and risks catastrophic failure of the already decaying infrastructure.

MEETING WITH DEP OFFICIALS: On 8/26/2026, myself, Town Manager Dennis Simmons, and an attorney representing the Town, met in Augusta with Maine DEP Commissioner Melanie Loyzim, DEP Environmental Services Manager (and DEP financial officer) Brandi King, DEP Officials Greg Wood and Brian Cavanaugh, to discuss the relocation of the Wiscasset Sewer Plant. It was made clear to DEP Officials that numerous residents do not want the plant to move and prefer that it remain on Cow Island, and be made resilient with the installation of a seawall; particularly in light of high costs and their belief that both Boothbay

Harbor's sewer plant and Ogunquit's sewer plant were building seawalls.

Commissioner Loyzim and Brandi King said DEP is not financing any seawall for Boothbay Harbor (in fact, they would control approval and licensing for it, and it is in the flood plain), and they noted that the Ogunquit sewer plant is, in fact, relocating. They reiterated that while they cannot order us to move the Wiscasset Sewer Plant, they want us to move. It is in the Town's best interest to do so before major damage is caused by a freak storm or other catastrophe. They noted that any failures or major violations due to our failing to relocate, could result in punitive actions from Maine DEP and Federal EPA.

As far as the sewer plant remaining on Cow Island? It appears that ship has sailed.

Brandi King described a Cash Flow Modeling Plan which would finance a relocation project, enabling it to commence, while still applying for funding and grants as the project was under construction. Several big projects in Maine are following this model and it is currently being considered.

MMA RISK MANAGEMENT INSPECTION: On 8/11/2026, MMA Risk Management performed an inspection of the Wiscasset Sewer Plant. Inspection of records, plant buildings and several pump stations were performed. Final report of the evaluation is forthcoming.

DEP INSPECTION: On 8/19/2026, DEP representative Ben Pendleton came to Wiscasset to perform an annual inspection. He toured the sewer plant and several pump stations. He also inspected safety records, lab procedures, our sewer billing rates, and our annual budget. We also discussed the resolution of the roof leaders/sewage event that occurred last month, as well as the status of the pump station upgrades bid, and the current status of the plant relocation. He emphasized the urgency to perform the pump station upgrades, and the seriousness of relocating the sewer plant.

He will issue his final evaluation report in September.

KONEKRANES INSPECTION: Konecranes company came to the Wiscasset Sewer Plant 24/2026, and performed a safety inspection on all hoists, lifts, jacks, chains and straps. 

No egregious problems were found, and while a few small items need addressing, results were largely found to be satisfactory.