Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-04-06
SEWERAGE FOR WESTERLY
Matter to be Decided Special Town Neutrality-suspicious.
National Convention Deegates-Sentence Deferred in
Skeete Aliens Case-Address by DR.. }. 7. Black

The taxpaying population Of WesteE-
ly will be given opportunity to decide
in special town meeting today, to ap-
prove or disapprove a system of sew
erage for the compact part OF tine town.
This important matter has been agi-
tated to a more or less degree for the
past quarter century and thus far 1t
has been agitation, and nothing more,
except that ait the May annual town
meeting an appropriation of $4,000 was
made for the investigation of the sys-
tenn best suited to the needs of West
erly The subject has come before
the freemen of the town on several &C.
casions and each time the project has
either been defeated or temporarily
laid aside for what seemed to be of
more pressing need for the comrnuni-
ty.
On 1908 preliminary plans and esti-
mates were prepared, recommending
the adoption of a combined system of
sewers, discharging the sewage and
catuck river through several storm
water overf1ows located in Main and
Margin streets, with final outlet into
the Pawcatuck river from Margin
street, below Greenman avenue, at an
estimated cost of $19S,002 No action
accompanied by a general plan of the
town, was made to a committee of the
town council.
The adoption of the separate system
of sewerage, supplemented by storm
water drains in various parts of the
town, was recommended. The esti
mated cost of that system proper was
1902 900, with an annual maintenance
cost of S11195. This report recon-
mended that the sewage be disposed
Of by the system known as internit-
tent filtration, which consists in pre-
pairing filter beds of proper material
and sufficient area on which the sew
age is discharged internationally.
At financial town meeting held
Oct. 81, 1908, committee was APP
pointed to take into consideration the
whole matter of establishing a system
of sewerage, to secure legislation, to
secure a definite plan for the system.
The sum of $1,000 was appropriated to
pay the expense of the committee in
this work. This committee recon-
mended the separate system of sewers
and the disposal of sewage by inter-
mittent filtration on what is known
as the Sandy Plains. The estimated
cost was $200,365. Previous to the
completion of these plans, there was a
town meeting, March 10, 1904, for the
purpose of authorizing the securing of
the necessary legislation to permit the
town to issue it's notes or bonds for
the sum of $250,000, to construct the
system. A resolution to that effect was
defeated.
The problem was again taken up by
the town council and referred to the
board of water commissioners and a
preliminary report made at a financial
town meeting May u, 1914, the board
stating that the question Of the final
disposal of the sewage is of the utmost
importance, as upon this will depend
the success or failure of a project in
volving a large expenditure of money.
The commissioners and Engineer
Thomas Mckenzie have devoted much
time to the work, visiting many sewage
plants, and, after thorough investiga-
ton will report to the town meeting.
1t was necessary to make new plans
and prohles, owing to the many