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Post by SyZyGy on May 27, 2006 12:46:26 GMT -5
I see by the Manager's report of 5/26/2006, that the MDC will be conducting tests in many parts of Wethersfield to locate ILLEGAL connections in private homes to the sanitary sewer lines.
How are they going to do this? They are going to blow "non-toxic" SMOKE up your sanitary sewer line into YOUR HOUSE to see where the smoke comes out. You will be given 24-72 hours notice that your home will be tested; you will have NO choice; it will be tested even if you are not at home!
(Check the manager's report on the Town's website. But you will have to get the attachments- where all of the details usually are - from the manager, right, oldetowne?)
First the test; if you pass the test, great - you are doing nothing illegal. If you fail the first and second test (done if you fail the first one) a legal processs will be started to encourage (force ?) the homeowner to comply by disconnecting all ILLEGAL, non-sanitary sources of inflow into the sanitary system.
Wow! I can see it now. This is going to really freak out most of the ultra-tidy ladies in town to think that smoke with a sewage smell will be forced into and might fill their homes, especially if they do not know IF they have an illegal connection or not.
And to think, this is going to happen just a few months before the BIG REFERENDUM on spending $1 billion (with a significant impact on all property owners using MDC services - all!) will be presented to the eight towns, including Wethersfield.
What idiot(?) in the MDC thought up this timing? Even Russ should know that you don't pull this kind of move just before an election -
unless you can make hay out of it.
Well, hot shot politician Russ. what are you going to do about that? Get it canceled or postponed till after the Referendum and Election? That is what I expect. Who cares if the illegal connections remain undisclosed and unremedied for a few months longer after years, and years, and years, of neglect and winking by the Town and the MDC. What has Russ Morin done about this for all the years he has been stuck on Council.
Seems like an easy way for hot shot Russ to make nice to the ladies in Town, cater to them, garner votes - at least until after the election; then, sock it to'em! Then bemoan, "There is nothing I can do now; the tests have to be run; we can't break the law any longer; my hands are tied." Yadda, yadda, yadda, yadda, yadda, yadda,!
I'll bet the embedded politicians in the MDC will use this to their advantage too. Russ asks for a postponement; they say yes, but now Russ owes them something in return; politics 102. Of course Russ will not think of this; Shirley or higher will. Russ, a puppet in the making!
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Post by cruzrt on May 27, 2006 13:09:27 GMT -5
This is really bizarre. If damage is done to homes, some combination of the town government and the MDC would certainly be liable. Since we are not only taxpayers of Wetherfield but also paying customers of MDC, we would lose either way. Seems to this poster that this could only be done if the MDC got written permisssion from each homeowner.
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Post by cruzrt on May 27, 2006 13:10:23 GMT -5
Can someone tell us who are Wethersfield MDC commissioners are? They need to be contacted by us citizens since it looks like the Town Manager would just let this happen.
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Post by cruzrt on May 27, 2006 13:12:27 GMT -5
The other important part of this morning's posting is that the Weekly Manager report CONTINUES to NOT provide the attachment material for the topics. This has been brought to the attention of Town Hall many times, and nothing happens. It's not rocket science to put the attachment onto the Manager's report or make it accessible via a hyperlink.
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RGarrey
Gold Member
WCTV "Wethersfield Live" Channel 14
Posts: 84
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Post by RGarrey on May 30, 2006 12:16:15 GMT -5
These are the two commissioners from Wethersfield listed on The MDC website, www.themdc.com . METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMISSION (6 year term) (* Governor-** Council) * Martin B. Courneen R 102 Straddle Hill 1-29-2001 to 12-31-2006 **John J. McAuliffe Jr. R 149 Boulter Road 1-6-2003 to 12-31-2008 I am not sure I understand the smoke out test. If you send smoke back up through the sanitary drain in your house, the smoke should come out the vent pipe on your roof. The traps in your sinks and other fixtures should prevent the smoke coming in your house. If you have a sump pump tied into the system it normally will have a backflow preventer built in to the line, this would prevent the smoke from coming out the pump and would not show them anything. If you don't have a backflow then I guess they wait to see if your cellar fills up with smoke? A more detailed explanation is in order I believe. |
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Post by Dr.Ken Sokolowski on May 30, 2006 19:59:08 GMT -5
Some information derived from Googling this subject:
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Post by SittingBull on May 30, 2006 23:13:12 GMT -5
Very interesting that one of our commissioners is a career employee (retired) of the MDC. Maybe his pension is tied to a vote?  **John J. McAuliffe Jr. R 149 Boulter Road 1-6-2003 to 12-31-2008 |
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Post by SyZyGy on May 31, 2006 19:16:01 GMT -5
Attention, you with illegal connections to the sanitary sewers!
You want details, try this. This is not from the Manager's report, but it does apply!
The FAQ sheet for smoketesting.com
How should I prepare for smoke testing?
Pour 1 gallon of water in every drain including floor drains. This is especially important for drains that have not been used for a long period of time. Look for floor drains that may be under floor mats, carpets, appliances or furniture. It is not uncommon to find a floor drain under carpet in a lower level family room or under a washing machine.
If you have a sump pump or a downspout from your roof-top connected to the sewer system, disconnect it and drain into your yard or street. These connections are illegal and will allow dangerous sewer gasses to enter your home or business. Remember, all sewer gases are dangerous and many have no odor. Contact your city for regulations regarding proper connections and drainage for sump pumps and downspouts.
IF YOU HAVE A HEALTH CONCERN, CONTACT YOUR CITY RIGHT NOW!
Describe your health concern as completely as you can and someone from your city will address your concerns..
What do I do if smoke enters my home or business?
REMEMBER! Even though the smoke product your city is using is laboratory tested safe, the sewer gases that are traveling with the smoke can be extremely dangerous causing serious health concerns and even death. Remember, all sewer gases are dangerous and many have no odor. If smoke should enter your home or business, take these precautions:
1. Immediately open several windows in your home or business. Ventilate with a fan if you have one available.
2. Quickly leave your residence and contact the testing personal in your neighborhood. You should be able to find them within 2 or 3 blocks of your home or business.
3. If you choose to call the city instead, please have their phone number ready and call from a neighboring house or business, or use your cell phone.
4. If you are unsure if the smoke is from the tests being done in your neighborhood it could be a real fire, call 911 immediately! Fire smoke usually has a strong smell and is a grayer smoke. The smoke your city is using is nearly odorless and very white in color.
Will my smoke alarm be activated?
Yes! But don’t be alarmed. Follow the above procedures. When the smoke clears the alarm will usually quit. If you are connected to an emergency service, your local emergency personal will be notified. If this happens, determine if the smoke is from the smoke-testing project. If it is, contact your security service and let them know it was a false alarm. IF YOU ARE UNSURE about the origin of the smoke, let them continue with their normal emergency procedures.
What happens if I do have a sewer problem?
Your city will contact you within a short period of time with instructions on what you need to do. They may require a permit to do the repairs and give you a list of licensed contractors in your area. If the smoke problem is outside your home or business, wait for these instructions. If the smoke is in your home, immediately notify the city and make arrangements with a plumber to correct the problem. Remember, all sewer gases are dangerous and some are odorless! Fix your problem right away.
For your Peace of Mind:
As described in our FAQ presentation, there are many good reasons smoke testing is done. One of the most important, however, is the safety of you and your family. If smoke is entering your home or business, so are dangerous sewer gases. These gases can cause anything from minor, frequent, illnesses to more serious illnesses such as respiratory ailments. Identifying these problems and repairing them will lead to a better quality of life. Your cooperation in this project will be good for you and your community.
Slide show about smoke testing (allow time to load!)
Visit parent site of smoketesting.com
Upset? Call the "RUSS" today!
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Post by SyZyGy on Jun 1, 2006 5:52:11 GMT -5
In the not too distant weeks,
the following headlines
could be popping up:
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SEWER TESTING SICKENS
PETS and OWNERS
Non-Toxic Smoke Testing
Drives Sewer Gases
Into Some Homes
-----
SEWER TESTING WITH SMOKE
REVEALS ILLEGAL CONNECTIONS
Home Owners with Defects
Forced to Fix or be Fined
-----
WETHERSFIELD SEWER TESTING
CATCHES VACATIONERS AWAY
Sewer Odors Linger in Cellars
after Smoke Testing
-----
MDC PUSHES SMOKE TESTING
AS PARTIES PLAY POLITICS
"Mayor" Morin Points Finger
Plays Politics with Shut-Ins
Elders, Plants & Pets
-----[/color][/size]
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Post by SyZyGy on Jun 19, 2006 4:49:55 GMT -5
What will happen when the MDC FIND OUT TONITE!
Monday, June 19, 2006
at the pre-meeting presentations
of the Town Council Meeting
(again back at S.D.M.S.; 7:00 PM)
Watch out,
sign stealers,
all you stake pullers
and pipe infiltrators and
others above and beyond
the law --
Bonnie et al.
claim they will
hunt you down! |
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Post by SyZyGy on Jun 21, 2006 5:47:04 GMT -5
The Town Council:
Ever politicians,
They talk of
"Grandfathering."
Wink and win.
Allow some sewers
to be Infiltrated.
(The new chickens
for select pots:
Buy a vote here,
Sell a vote there.)
Like their father
and Grandfather
Politicians before them:
Help a few and
screw the rest!
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Post by Dr.Ken Sokolowski on Jun 23, 2006 12:02:30 GMT -5
Apparently the company which will be doing the smoke testing is called Flow Assessment Services. During the presentation by the MDC representative prior to the Council meeting on 6/19/2006, this subject was touched upon. Since they will be doing this project for the MDC, you might want to keep their email address handy: contactus@flowassessment.com.
It was obvious, as you have suggested, Syzygy, that the potential adverse risks of the smoke testing and whether or not to grant "grandfathering" for old, now illegal connections was a "hot potato" issue during the Q&A after the presentation; neither the MDC rep' nor the Council was willing to make any predictions or suggestions at this point.
The MDC rep' (Robert Weimar, (860) 278-7850, x 3475) included a PowerPoint side show about the problem, the solutions and the costs and the timeline and touched on the consequences of a failed referendum - the "FEDS" and even higher cost to correct the problems!.
The MDC has dubbed this entire remediation and expansion project "The Clean Water Project" and have created an MDC-linked new website for and about this project: www.thecleanwaterproject.com. You might want to visit this site and bookmark it.
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Post by cruzrt on Jun 23, 2006 13:58:18 GMT -5
It appeared that the Town Council members were each given some type of document or handout by the MDC people just before the presentation started. It also appeared that the citizens attending the Council meeting were offered nothing. Can someone that's in-the-know find out what the document was and come up with a way for the public to see it?
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Post by SyZyGy on Jun 23, 2006 20:34:14 GMT -5
It appeared that the Town Council members were each given some type of document or handout by the MDC people just before the presentation started. It also appeared that the citizens attending the Council meeting were offered nothing. Can someone that's in-the-know find out what the document was and come up with a way for the public to see it?
1. On Monday, June 26, go to town hall.
2. Go to Clerk's office (or Manager's office)
3. Ask to see/read a copy of the handout, or
4. Pay ??¢ per page to have it copied for you.
5. Then report back here to tell all us what is was.
6. Be proud of yourself. You are now "in-the-know." |
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Post by SyZyGy on Jun 24, 2006 15:34:17 GMT -5
Not a liar,
Bob Weimar,
Dodged the Q:
For the MDC's
"BIG FLUSH,"
How much from me,
How much from you?
Anonymous source
Tossed me this:
Reliable? Of Course!
Est. YEARLY Household Cost
(as an increase in assessed property VALUE)
BEST Case Scenario:
Max' CWF* Funds and Fed/State Grants
FY...........2004 $ est....2006 $ est.
2005........119.............119
2010........234.............293
2015........358.............458
2020........428.............528
2025........526............$630
Likely case?
Much more.
Worst Case?
Don't ask!
*don't know; do you?
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