City engineering firm: Waterbury incinerator needs emergency repairs; city to consider interim contract and later RFP

Jacobs, the engineering and operations firm running Waterbury’s wastewater treatment facility, told the Board of Aldermen on May 21 that the city’s incinerator has reached a critical stage of useful life and will require interim repairs this summer to avoid unplanned shutdowns.

Scott Mangold, Jacobs’ regional manager, said the city will seek approval for a contract that would fund emergency repairs in August and continue evaluating longer-term options ahead of two contract expirations in October 2028 — the Synagrow subcontract and Jacobs’ 10-year agreement. “We have decided upon is to move forward with the interim improvements subject to approval of the contract at the next board of alderman meeting. If that is ultimately approved, there will be emergent emergency repairs that happen this summer in the August time frame,” Mangold said.

Mangold also described the economics of incineration: Waterbury’s arrangement with Synagrow has secured an incineration cost around $85 per ton for the city’s sludge; outside merchant rates paid by other systems that bring sludge to Waterbury can be north of $500 per ton and, depending on market conditions, much higher. Jacobs staff said the incinerator is not operating at full capacity and that some interim work aims to preserve operation through the current contract term.

Why it matters: The incinerator’s condition is linked to capital planning and the water-pollution control fund’s financial picture. If the incinerator suffers an unplanned shutdown, the plant could lose a revenue stream from merchant sludge processing and face higher disposal costs or service interruptions. The board was told the RFP process for long-term options earlier produced only one responsive proposal with a prohibitive price, pushing the city toward a stopgap approach while preparing a better-timed procurement.

Next steps: The administration said it will bring a contract package to the board for approval; Jacobs and city staff will continue analyzing replacement, refurbishment or alternate treatment options ahead of the October 2028 expirations. The board did not vote on incinerator contracts at the May 21 meeting.

Quotable: “The objective there is to reduce the risk of unplanned shutdowns that could compromise the facility’s ability to operate through the end of the current contract term,” Mangold said of the planned interim work.

Ending: Jacobs and city staff said they will return with contract documents and more detailed cost estimates for the emergency work; aldermen signaled they want clear cost and funding sources before approval.