Groton Sewer Commission

About

The Sewer Commission oversees:

• the Groton Center Sewer System
• the Four Corners Sewer System

The Sewer Commission’s oversight responsibilities include:

• regulation of user fees
• regulations for repayment of wastewater system costs
• regulations for sewer design, construction, and use
• allocation of sewer system capacity
• other problems or issues regarding the sewer system

Announcements

Please find below recent announcements from the Sewer Commission.

• Press Release - March 23, 2022 - Notice of Sewer Rate Increase

Groton Sewer Districts Expansion Policy

The Groton Sewer Commission is responsible for the management of two sewer districts - Groton Center Sewer District and Four Corners Sewer District. Demands for sewer allocation are approaching the physical capacities and cost limits of the systems.

The Groton Sewer Districts Expansion Policy has been adopted, effective April 19, 2023.

Groton Sewer Districts Expansion Policy (April 19, 2023)

The purpose of the policy is to accommodate sewer connection requests to satisfy public health requirements and to
promote economic development as possible within each district. However, with limited “upside” system capacity, the Sewer Commission has taken the position not to expand the sewer districts.

Effective April 19, 2023, the Groton Sewer Commission is instituting the following policies:

• Aggressively monitor and eliminate “inflow and infiltration” in the sewer system so as to reclaim available capacity.
• Service the needs of the in-district facilities as best possible.
• Consider sewer district expansion to properties only to service a failed septic system with no economically feasible replacement option.

Sewage System Discharge or Overflow Notices

When a sewer discharge or overflow occurs, the Sewer Commission sends out a public advisory notification. On business days, this webpage will be updated within 2-4 hours of the notification. During weekends or holidays, this webpage will be updated on the next business day.

You can also see a list of discharge and overflow events on the MassDEP website. This list is updated within 24 hours of when the public advisory notification is sent. Enter "Groton" in the Permittee field and click "Search".

The fastest way to get information is to sign up to receive public advisory notifications at the following link: https://www.grotonma.gov/government/notifications-and-alerts

To sign up to receive notices of sanitary sewer overflows, access "Public Meeting Agenda Posting and Minutes". Check the box next to Groton Sewer Commission.

History

The first three-member Sewer Commission was elected at the 1993 annual election, succeeding the former Wastewater Committee, which was an appointed body formed to plan and coordinate the design and construction of the present-day sewer system. The first connection to the sewer system was made in 1989.

Created by Town Meeting in 1985, and now known as the Groton Center Sewer district, it is comprised of Groton Center and the subdivision known as Partridgeberry Woods, added in 1989. In 1996, the Town Meeting voted to authorize an additional line to service approximately a dozen homes on Hollis Street, and in 2001, the Groton-Dunstable Regional High School. The Boston Road / Old Ayer Road extension was added in 2005. In 2007, an amendment to the existing Joint Use Agreement with Pepperell was approved to allow a 10-unit cluster “cluster” development on Olivia Way to connect to the Pepperell sewer line. These homes are considered part of the Pepperell Sewer System. At various times, the district has been extended by town meeting vote as reflected on the district map https://www.axisgis.com/GrotonMA/ (To see the Sewer Distract Maps you will need to select the layers on the GIS system).

Under an intermunicipal agreement with the Town of Pepperell, adopted in 1987, the Town of Groton purchased capacity of 120,000 gallons per day at the Pepperell Wastewater Treatment Plant for disposal of sewage produced in the Groton Center Sewer District.  In 2001, the Agreement was amended to authorize the purchase of an additional 56,250 gallons per day, and again in 2004 to authorize the purchase of yet an additional 97,500 gallons per day of capacity, bringing the total Groton capacity to 273,750 gallons per day. This represents 25% of the Pepperell plant’s total capacity of 1.1 million gallons per day. The Groton Sewer Commission manages Groton contracts with the Town of Pepperell to provide operation and maintenance for the system, including (in 1997) two pump stations; force main; manholes, laterals, and interceptors.

In 2019, the Groton Sewer Commission assumed responsibility to oversee the Four Corners Sewer District. The Four Corners District https://www.axisgis.com/GrotonMA/    operates under an intermunicipal agreement with the Town of Ayer, MA for the disposal of sewage produced in the Four Corners Sewer District.

The Commission is served by a part-time hourly office assistant.

Pay Bills Online

https://unipaygold.unibank.com/Default.aspx?customerid=589

Schedules of Fees and Fines

Sewer usage rates can be found in each district’s regulations. The current rates and fees can be found at

Groton Center Sewer District

Four Corners Sewer District  

Regulations

Each district operates under a set of Rules and Regulations as approved by the Groton Sewer Commission. The regulations govern connection fees, usage and other applicable fees and fines, and design and construction regulations within each district. Please note that both districts incorporate the REGULATIONS FOR SEWER DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION TOWN OF PEPPERELL, MASSACHUSETTS within the District’s regulations.

Town of Pepperell District Regulations

Groton Center Sewer District Regulations

Four Corners Sewer District Regulations

The Groton Sewer Commission operates under legal authority of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 83 §1-29 and Chapter 44 §53 and Groton Code Chapter 190.

MGL Chapter 83

MGL Chapter 44 §53

Groton Code Chapter 190

District Maps

The sewer districts identify the parcels included in the district.

District Maps

(To see the Sewer Distract Maps you will need to select the layers icond on the left, and then check the box next to Sewer Districts Maps).

Sewer District Extension Guidelines

Sewer districts can only be extended with a favorable vote of town meeting. The Sewer Commission will hold a public hearing on requests to extend a sewer prior to the town meeting.

Please refer to the Sewer District Extension Guidelines for a details on this process.

Sewer District Extension Guidelines

Sewer Connection Procedure

There are several steps involved for connecting to the common sewer system. Please refer to the Sewer Connection Procedure document below for information. The steps in the document apply to both the Groton Center Sewer District and the Four Corners Sewer District.

Sewer Connection Procedure

Application to Connect to a Sewer System

If applying for connection to either sewer system, an application is required. Please contact the Sewer Commission prior to application for assistance in the process. Please note that the sewer connection fee is due at the time of the application. The costs of design, construction, inspections and usage are the responsibility of the applicant.

Groton Center Sewer Application

Four Corners Sewer Application

Drainlayers

Drainlayers must be registered with the Town of Groton with current license information. View the Drainlayer Instructions for requirements. Use the Drainlayers Application to apply for a drainlayers license.

A Worker's Compensation Affidavit must also be on file with the Town of Groton.

Abatements of Sewer Charges

In unusual circumstances, the Sewer Commission will consider abatements for sewer charges following its Sewer Abatement Policy.

Sewer Abatement Policy

Meeting Minutes

Meeting minutes can be found on the Meeting Center https://portal.grotonma.gov/meetings/department/108

Contact Information

Members

Eric Berg
Term Start: 2024-04-23
Term End: 2027-05-18

James L. Gmeiner
Term Start: 2022-05-25
Term End: 2025-05-25

Groton Sewer Commission Documents

1. Minutes
   1. Groton_Sewer_Commission_approved_minutes_2024-11-06_id-15730.pdf
   2. Groton_Sewer_Commission_approved_minutes_2024-10-23_id-15701.pdf
   3. Groton_Sewer_Commission_approved_minutes_2024-10-09_id-15654.pdf
   4. Groton_Sewer_Commission_approved_minutes_2024-09-25_id-15586.pdf
   5. Groton_Sewer_Commission_approved_minutes_2024-09-04_id-15519.pdf
   6. Groton_Sewer_Commission_approved_minutes_2024-08-07_id-15449.pdf
   7. Groton_Sewer_Commission_approved_minutes_2024-07-17_id-15429.pdf
   8. Groton_Sewer_Commission_approved_minutes_2024-07-10_id-15398.pdf
   9. Groton_Sewer_Commission_approved_minutes_2024-06-26_id-15377.pdf
   10. Groton_Sewer_Commission_approved_minutes_2024-06-05_id-15260.pdf
   11. Access additional meeting minutes and agendas at the Meeting Center
2. Sewer_District_Extension_Guidelines_2022-10-19.docx
3. Sewer_Connection_Procedure__9_28_23.pdf
4. Sewer_Abatement_Policy_20220302.docx
5. ServiceLineInventoryStreetAddress2024-08-06.xlsx
6. Revisions_Center_4_24_24.pdf
7. Private_Water_Line_Installation_Requirements.pdf
8. Notice_of_Sewer_Rate_Increase_03-23-2022.docx
9. MA_-_Lead_and_Copper_Inventory_101624.xlsx
10. Groton_Sewer_Capacity_Allocation_Policy_(April_19,_2023).docx
11. Groton_Four_Corners_Rates_2022-03-25.pdf
12. Groton_Four_Corners_-_Schedule_of_Fees_and_Fines_(June_1,_2023).docx
13. Groton_Center_Sewer_District_Rates_2022-03-25.pdf
14. Four_Corners_Regulations_42424.pdf
15. Four_Corners_District_Sewer_Application_20220302.pdf
16. Drainlayer_Instructions.pdf
17. Drain_Layer_Application_2023.pdf
18. Center_District_Sewer_Application__9_28_23.pdf