1. Property owners who want sanitary sewers installed to serve their properties must submit a petition bearing the signatures of at least 75% of the property owners abutting the street where sewer service is requested. (Signatures of renters are not acceptable.) Properties that are owned by more than one person must have the signatures of all owners listed on the Town's land records. The petitions are for sewer installation and not for a feasibility study. Feasibility studies are only done in special situations for major area installations and special problem areas.
2. Petitions should be submitted to the Town of Westport Engineering Department, Room 210, Westport Town Hall, 110 Myrtle Avenue, Westport, Connecticut 06880.
3. The office of the Town Engineer will review the received petition with respect to the topography of the area and the most likely path of flow towards the existing sewer system. Conformance with the “Report on Proposed Expansions To Municipal Sewerage System for Westport Sewer Authority”, Dated: December 1967, By: Whitman & Howard, Engineers & Architects, will also be determined. Once the direction of flow has been determined, the petitioner’s (abutting property owners) signatures along that path of flow will be verified to ensure that they represent 75%, or more, of the affected properties. If the petition meets or exceeds the required 75% participation, it will be reviewed based on its health need rating. This rating will be determined by the “Town of Westport Facilities Plan Report” Appendix G, Septic System Evaluation, Dated: March 2002, By Stearns & Wheler, Environmental Engineers and Scientists. If the petitioned area or any portion of the petitioned area is not listed within Appendix G, the Town Engineer will request the Westport-Weston Health District to provide a health need survey and report on the condition of the existing septic systems.
If it is determined that the petition does not meet the required 75% participation, the petition will be REJECTED and returned to the individual who had submitted it originally.
4. The Town Engineer, after reviewing the items outlined above, will prepare a “Sanitary Sewer Petition Summary” and request authorization from the Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA, a.k.a. Board of Selectmen) for the Public Works Department to accept the subject sewer petition. This request will be placed on a meeting agenda of the Water Pollution Control Authority. Public participation is welcomed at this meeting. Upon acceptance of the petition by the WPCA, the Town Engineer will request the First Selectman to submit an 8~24 application to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
5. Following authorization from the WPCA and a positive recommendation on the 8~24 application from the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Public Works Department will secure proposals for the engineering design phase of the sanitary sewer extension. After reviewing these submissions and selecting the most cost effective proposal from a qualified engineering consultant, a request will be made for funding to the Board of Finance and the Representative Town Meeting (RTM).
6. Once contract financing is in place, the contract will be executed and the consultant will design the sanitary sewer extension. At completion of the preliminary design, all property easements required for construction will be secured by the Town. Subsequent to the filing of the easements, the consultant will prepare an engineering estimate of cost. The Public Works Department will then request that the WPCA set a date for a Preliminary Benefit Assessment Public Hearing.
7. A Preliminary Benefit Assessment Public Hearing will be scheduled and held by the Authority. All affected property owners will receive in the mail a notice of when and where the Public Hearing will be held. The design of the project and the estimated costs will be available at this hearing. Public participation will be welcomed.
8. While design plans are being finalized, financing for the construction will be secured from the Board of Finance and RTM. Upon confirmation of funding, the project will be advertised for construction bids.
9. Upon receipt of construction bids, the Public Works Department will request that the Water Pollution Control Authority award a construction contract to the lowest qualified bidder.
10. Upon execution of the construction contract, the contractor will be directed to proceed with construction.
11. Upon completion and acceptance of the new sanitary sewer extension all affected property owners will receive notice that residents may apply for their individual connection permits. ALL PROPERTIES WILL BE GIVEN ONE YEAR UPON RECEIPT OF THIS NOTICE TO CONNECT TO THE SEWER.
12. Upon completion of the construction, the Town will prepare a final cost accounting of the project. Based upon this accounting, the Water Pollution Control Authority will schedule and hold a Final Benefit Assessment Public Hearing and establish the Benefit Assessment rate per unit for the project. All affected property owners will receive notification by mail of the Benefit Assessment Public Hearing. All properties serviced by the sewer extension will be subject to the Benefit Assessment.
Petition for Sanitary Sewer Installation (.pdf)