Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA)

Important Information for Sewer Users

The Litchfield WPCA has two primary responsibilities. The first and most complex is the operation, quality control and maintenance of an up-to-date and permitted sanitary sewage (wastewater) treatment facility. The sewage system is operated under a Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection issued permit. Present permitted capacity is 800 thousand gallons of daily flow. Currently, the facility operates in a range of 500-550 thousand gallons per day with occasional weather-related spikes.

In addition to processing Litchfield sanitary sewage, a similar service is provided for a limited portion of Morris sewer lines for a fee. The WPCA has inter-municipal agreements with the City of Torrington for the sewage from the Route 202 and Hart Drive area and with Thomaston for the Northfield center area.

The treatment facility and WPCA offices, including the Plant Superintendent, Ted Donoghue, and his staff are located at 29 Stoddard Road in Bantam.

The second of WPCA’s responsibilities covers new installation, maintenance and repair of approximately 27 miles of sanitary sewer lines serving residential, commercial, industrial and institutional users connected to them.

The WPCA, as required by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, has established specific, detailed rules, regulations and permit requirements regarding work on the Town’s sanitary sewer system and installation or repair of sewer connections to it. Their purpose, among others, is to insure worker safety and that high standards for materials and workmanship are met.

Operational oversight for this second WPCA responsibility, including adherence to applicable regulations, is carried out by the Plant Superintendent and his staff headquartered at the treatment facility. When malfunctions or emergencies occur related to user connection to main sewer lines, users are encouraged to call the Plant Superintendent’s office for advice and suggestions before taking action.

Working hours at 29 Stoddard Road are 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. All telephone calls/messages at all other times are immediately forwarded to the Plant Superintendent/staff. Response will be prompt. Telephone: (860) 567-7580. In the case of Emergencies call 860-459-6169.

The WPCA maintains a cooperative but independent role with respect to Town of Litchfield government and its various departments. There exists, for example, a particularly useful working relationship with the Town’s Public Works department, valuable to both parties. Director of Public Works, Raz Alexe, oversees the WPCA staff. He can be reached at (860)-567-7575.

From a financial standpoint, the Water Pollution Control Authority is a self-supporting entity. Budgets are prepared annually and revenue required for Operations and Maintenance for all WPCA activities is generated from treatment facility fees and sewer user fees.

If you have questions or comments about WPCA, let us know. Our email address is litchwpca@townoflitchfiled.org and our mailing address is WPCA, P.O. Box 343, Litchfield, CT 06759.