East Lyme Water Needs Now Include Montville, New London Facilities

The Montville Planning and Zoning Commission this month approved the site plan for the town of East Lyme to build a 425,000 gallon elevated water storage tank at 375 Butlertown Road in Montville. 

The plan is in response to East Lyme’s summertime water shortage issue.  East Lyme is also set to install a water line to New London’s water treatment plant near Lake Konomoc to bring water between the town and city to meet East Lyme’s “summertime peak (water) demands.” The project includes the installation of a 425,000-gallon water storage tank and that’s where Montville comes in.

Click here for a look at the plans.  

The tank will be built in the Montville Industrial Park. The entire project will also include the installation of hydrants along the entire length of the transmission water main and individual fire service connections to 11 lots in the Montville Industrial Park, accordong to the project plans and the state. And it’s the fire suppression opportunity that just may have cinched the deal for Montville.

At a recent Inland Wetlands Commission public hearing on the matter, which no member of the public spoke for or against, East Lyme First Selectman Paul Formica said the project is a water banking system with New London. It will eliminate the water shortfall that occurs in East Lyme in July and August, by banking the excess water from East Lyme in New London during the September through June months for use during the summer months, according to meeting minutes.

East Lyme and New London signed a water sharing agreement in 2011 in which East Lyme will be charged for the use of water from Lake Konomoc once the connection to the reservoir is made.

At that meeting, the minutes reflect, Montville Mayor Ronald McDaniel said the water in the tank “would benefit Montville as to fire suppression and transmission vetted through regular water community.”

An invitation to bid the project work was posted last week. The town of Montville has required 48 hours advance notice before construction begins.

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