Potential Interconnection to Danbury Water Supplies
from Northern Bethel

SECTION 3

CONNECT WITH DANBURY INTRO   |   CONNECT TO CENTRAL BETHEL
TO NORTHERN BETHEL   |   TO SOUTH BROOKFIELD   |   DANBURY'S INTERNAL NEEDS
TO NEW FAIRFIELD   |   TO SOUTH NEW MILFORD   |   TO NEWTOWN   |   TO RIDGEFIELD

The Bethel Consolidated Water Company operates the Chimney Heights and Berkshire Corporate Park water systems in northern Bethel. The systems are not interconnected.

The Berkshire Corporate Park System is located north of I-84 and borders both Danbury and Brookfield. The Chimney Heights System is located south of I-84 and serves the Chimney Heights, Colony Hill Acres, and Fairfield Estates subdivisions and customers along Route 6.

A main extension along Route 6, almost to the Newtown town line, is being designed for construction in 2006. This will serve several developments along Route 6.

The Berkshire Corporate Park System has a drilled well with a yield of 100 gallons per minute (gpm) constructed in 1966. This well was taken out of service and replaced with two interconnections to the Danbury water system in 2001. An 8-inch pipe connects to the Danbury 12-inch main near the I-84 Exit 8 ramp.

The second interconnection is located on River Drive (Park Ridge Road) along the Bethel/Danbury town line and is an 8-inch main connected to Danbury’s 12-inch main. The static pressure in the Danbury system provides 90 pounds per square inch at the highest point of the Berkshire Corporate System. The capacities of the interconnections are reported to be 700 gpm each. Currently, the maximum month average day draw against this interconnection has been about 60,500 gallons.

The Chimney Heights System has one caisson well located on Walnut Tree Road. The well was constructed in 1966. The safe yield was calculated in 1996 after a 72-hour pump test. The safe yield was limited by the pump capacity to 208 gpm, although there was more drawdown available.

The well currently has two pumps, one rated at 300 gpm and one rated at 240 gpm but, the safe yield and margins of safety in the water supply plan were calculated based on the original pumping rate of 208 gpm.

A potential interconnection with the Danbury System on Payne Road at Route 6 has recently been approved by Danbury as an emergency source. The distance from the 12-inch main in the Chimney Heights System to the Danbury 12-inch main in Payne Road is about 700 feet. The cost for the interconnection is estimated to be about $100,000.

SEE MAP OF POTENTIAL CONNECTIONS

The Bethel Consolidated Water Supply Plan reports that "The Danbury System has adequate hydraulic capacity at its interconnection points to provide water to the Berkshire Corporate Park in sufficient quantity and pressure to meet its existing and future demands. The Bethel Consolidated Company is currently considered a Danbury customer. There is no maximum limitation imposed on the amount of water BCC can purchase from Danbury" through the Berkshire System interconnections. The average day demand of the Berkshire System has been as high as 42,200 gallons and the peak day, 67,500 gallons. Projections show no increase in consumption.

The average day demand of the Chimney Heights System in 2004 was 113,300 gallons with a peak day of 181,300 gallons. Demand has been rising steadily and the projections are for average and peak day demands of 155,200 and 253,300 in 2024, and 175,100 and 258,900 in 2050, respectively.

The well has a safe yield (18-hour pumping) of 224,640 gallons and is adequate to meet future average day demands, but not maximum month and peak day demands. Also, there is no backup for the single well.

The new interconnection with Danbury will provide emergency backup for the existing well and will allow taking the storage tank out of service for maintenance. The HGL of the Danbury System is 603 feet compared to the Chimney Heights System with an HGL of 608 feet, so the pressure loss for supply from Danbury would be only about 2 pounds per square inch (psi).

To maintain margins of safety of 1.15, the Chimney Heights System would need an additional 7,000 gallons per day (gpd) for maximum month in 2009; 30,000 gpd for maximum month in 2024; 63,000 gpd for maximum month in 2050, and 30,000 gpd for peak day in 2050. No new sources are being considered at this time. However, if Danbury were considered, the new supply would be via the new interconnection at Payne Road.