Sewage, budgets, and frozen regret.
Farmington’s Water Pollution Control Authority convened on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, proving once again that the town’s most consistent product isn’t wastewater—it’s calmly narrated infrastructure stress. The meeting opened at 7:04 p.m. at 1 Westerberg Drive (and online), and concluded at 7:23 p.m., which is either efficiency or a sign that winter has finally broken everyone’s spirit.
The January report: millions of gallons, and not a whiff of panic
The monthly operating report for January read like a performance review for a system that refuses to be impressed by your feelings. The facility averaged 2.9 million gallons, recorded 96% BOD removal and 98.5% suspended solids, and landed about 29 pounds under the nitrogen limit—a margin small enough to feel personal.
Also: no phosphorus or E. coli testing until April 1, when it returns to the permit—because nothing says “regulatory clarity” like a seasonal reappearance.
Pump stations: a tour of Farmington’s greatest hits (and misses)
January also brought a series of pump station episodes that could be titled “It’s Fine, We Have A Truck.”
- Westfarms Pump Station: A high-level alarm traced to a bad float switch. A new float is being installed, featuring a new strategy best described as “try different floats until morale improves.”
- Centerbrook Pump Station: A generator fault and low coolant temperature linked to a block heater that wasn’t running. A new block heater went in; the fault was cleared; the universe remained indifferent.
- Snowberry Pump Station: A new pump bracket and flange arrived to address leaks and faults; installation is queued for warmer temperatures, because metal apparently has seasonal affective disorder.
- Batterson Park Pump Station: A new ATS is expected in February, after the current arrangement finishes its ongoing audition for “most likely to be manually overridden.”
Collection system work: lanes, manholes, and one worried resident (fair!)
Crews jetted Harold, Lindy, and Peggy Lane and assisted with 1928 Building manholes and storm lines.
A line at 9 Peggy Lane was camera’d, vac’d, and cleaned after a resident raised concerns—specifically, worry that sewer could contaminate a newly drilled well. The response was essentially: no, they’re not connected, but the town still cleaned the line to settle nerves and keep civic peace from backing up. 😅
The part where winter tries to kill everything
If you’ve wondered what happens when it gets truly cold, the answer is: everything freezes, including things you thought were physically incapable of freezing.
- A primary scum pump discharge line froze/clogged; it was flushed with influent (around 50 degrees) to thaw it, then froze again, because winter enjoys sequels.
- Filtrate pump #2 also froze/clogged; crews tried flushing and backflushing, narrowing the issue down to a small section that required opening to diagnose.
- Hydrant heads froze even with water left running; broken valves and corrosion were noted. So the hydrants were effectively put on “full bore” survival mode. 🥶
Budget talk: the 3% increase arrives, politely, like it owns the place
New business included a review of 2026–2027 budget expenditures and revenues, landing at $5.7 million, with discussion of costs like hauling, electric, and capital planning for repairs and improvements.
The Authority ultimately moved forward with a 3% increase, with a public hearing set for Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. at the Water Pollution Control Facility Conference Room, 1 Westerberg Drive.
In the legal notice read into the record, the proposed rates were stated as:
- $377 per year for residential customers
- $3.27 per 100 cubic feet for commercial customers (calendar year 2026)
…reflecting a 3% increase.
Residential sanitary sewer assessment figures were also read into the record, with the meeting indicating they would remain the same (as presented): $12,936.16 (R20 and under), $16,158.68 (R30 and R40), and $19,404.23 (R80).
And then, as all modern government does, the meeting ended with unanimous votes and a quick adjournment—before anything else had time to freeze.
Sponsor Thank You (Because Civilization Requires It)
This coverage is supported by Farmington Storage, located at 155 Scott Swamp Road in Farmington, CT, phone 860.777.4001—Connecticut’s only storage facility with Museum air, which is either a luxury amenity or a subtle warning that time is a flat circle and your boxes will outlive you. 🏛️📦
About the Author
Jack Beckett reports for The Farmington Mercury, where we practice slow journalism because—frankly—gravity will deliver the breaking news to you eventually.
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This article, “Farmington’s WPCA Confronts Frozen Scum Lines, Float Switches, and a 3% Rate Hike Like It’s Totally Normal 😐🚽,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0. “Farmington’s WPCA Confronts Frozen Scum Lines, Float Switches, and a 3% Rate Hike Like It’s Totally Normal 😐🚽” by Jack Beckett, The Farmington Mercury (CC BY-ND 4.0)
