$600,000 block grant provides the funding



Branford town officials have received a Community Development Block Grant in the amount of about $600,000. The grant will fund improvements to the wastewater facility and pave part of No Name Road.

A surge tank and a new piping system will be installed at the wastewater facility, as well as a larger screen to cover the plant.

Cole Timberlake, Branford public works director, said the improvements will prevent peak flows during certain times of the day. Peak flows cause some of the solids to be washed out of the plant and into the holding pond before they are treated properly.

“We pump them back into the plant to be treated,” Timberlake said. “So there’s no danger to public health.”

Timberlake said peak flows occur in the morning when residents get ready for work, in the evening when residents eat supper and shower and at noon when residents eat lunch.

“That just overwhelms the plant,” he said.

Timberlake said the updates will result in a constant flow to the sewer plant to prevent such peek flows.

The grant will also fund the paving of a half-mile section of No Name Road. The road is located in the northeast corner of Branford.

“We’re going to pave it out to the last trailer on the left,” Timberlake said.

A bid has been awarded to Brandes Design, of Clearwater. The company will serve as the contractor for both projects.

Timberlake said the projects will get underway soon. He anticipates construction to take about six months.