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A Quarter of Real Movement
The three months from February into early May mark the most significant forward progress on the OLSBA sewer and stormwater project since the original Bond Resolution passed in 2012. Between the January 31 Notices to Award and the close of business on May 5, the Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) and Board of Governors (BOG) moved the project out of the long contracting phase, through the State’s formal eligibility determination, and on to the threshold of construction on the Shared infrastructure.
This update walks through what was accomplished, what each milestone means, and what members should expect to see through the rest of May.
A Brief Reminder of What We’re Building
For members who haven’t followed every meeting, two quick framing points:
- The project replaces failing on-site septic systems across all OLSBA lots with a connection to the regional sewer network. It also includes storm drainage improvements[i] and the road restoration work that comes with digging up and putting back our streets. We undertake this work under Connecticut DEEP Consent Order CO-WR-MU-18-001, the 2018 Unified Consent Order with DEEP that legally binds OLSBA, Old Colony Beach Club, and Miami Beach to connect to a regional system. The Order set a 547-day window for submission of contract plans and specifications (a deadline that expired August 20, 2019) and a further 547-day window for completion of the approved remedial actions thereafter. Both have long since passed; the current schedule reflects what DEEP has accepted given the multi-year design, bidding, and financing work that followed.[ii]
- The work is split into two components. The Shared shoreline infrastructure (pump station, force main, and shoreline trunk sewer) is built jointly with Old Colony Beach Club, Miami Beach Association, and the Town of Old Lyme (under the 2020 Cost Sharing Agreement).[iii] OLSBA’s financial planning is built around the conservative scenario in which the Town does not contribute; any Town contribution reduces OLSBA’s cost. The Internal OLSBA infrastructure (gravity collection sewers, storm drainage, and road work inside Old Lyme Shores) is ours alone.[iv]
Funding for this scope of work primarily flows through the Connecticut DEEP Clean Water Fund (CWF) under two program numbers: 720-D / 720-C for the Shared work and 645-D / 645-C for the OLSBA Internal work. DEEP approved the most recent amendments to both programs on March 26, 2026: 720-D Amendment 6 for the Shared project[v] and 645-D Amendment 8 for the OLSBA Internal project.[vi] Combined, the CWF provides 25% grant subsidies and 2% loan financing on 20-year terms, with access to a $15M loan-forgiveness pool tied to the Shared project. The cost-estimating work that underlies these applications was informed by a Connecticut Office of the Treasurer worksheet shared with OLSBA in February 2024.[vii]
Notices to Award
Our reporting period opens with the Special Association Meeting on January 31, 2026, immediately followed by a Special BOG meeting that afternoon. The action that day, the issuance of Notices to Award (NTAs), was the formal selection of the contractors who will build the project. An NTA tells the bidders, “you’ve won the work.” The NTA is not yet authorization to break ground; that comes later, with a Notice to Proceed (NTP).
Five NTAs were issued on January 31, 2026:
- Old Lyme Shared Sewer Infrastructure: Pump Station (to JL Raymaakers)[viii]
- Old Lyme Shared Sewer Infrastructure: Shoreline Sewer (to Baltazar Construction)[ix]
- OLSBA Internal Sewer and Association Improvements[x]
- OCBCA Internal Sewer and Association Improvements[xi]
- MBA Internal Sewer and Association Improvements[xii]
JL Raymaakers’ bid for the Shared Pump Station was opened on February 18, 2025;[xiii] Baltazar Construction’s bids for the Shared Shoreline Sewer (October 8, 2025)[xiv] and the Force Main and Bioxide (October 30, 2025)[xv] followed. Engineering oversight remains with Fuss & O’Neill.[xvi]
From Award to Authorization
The three months between an NTA and an NTP are not idle. They are when every contract, financial commitment, and regulatory approval that has to be in place before the first shovel touches ground gets executed. The work accomplished during this window:
February 2026. Baltazar Construction conducted site visits and test-pit excavations along the shoreline roads to verify subsurface conditions against the design drawings.[xvii] This is standard pre-construction due-diligence: the contractor confirms what’s actually under the road matches what the engineer drew. Baltazar delivered its bonds and insurance certificates on February 13.[xviii] On February 18, DEEP issued its Approval of Project Planning Activity, clearing a key regulatory gate.[xix] Fuss & O’Neill submitted a Project Plan for Notice to Proceed in February.[xx]
March 2026. Project focus shifted to finalizing the Clean Water Fund applications and preparing the executable contract packages for review by the Cost Sharing Agreement partners. DEEP’s approvals of CWF 720-D Amendment #6 and 645-D Amendment #8 both carry a draft date of March 26, 2026.[xxi] [xxii] Fuss & O’Neill issued a Permit Update on March 14.[xxiii]
April 2026. Three BOG meetings in two weeks pushed our shared project obligations across the line: a regular meeting on April 15 with recorded votes, a special meeting on April 27, and a final special meeting on April 29 dedicated to authorizing the contractor notices. At a joint DEEP hosted meeting, Fuss & O’Neill presented an Old Lyme Projects Construction Phase document on April 21.[xxiv] With the available documentation and input from our engineers and counsel, the association President assembled the OLSBA NTP Recommendation memo and presentation[xxv] for the April 29 vote. OLSBA filed the Updated Certificate of Bond Resolutionand provided association contact information on April 22 to satisfy the CWF documentation requirement.[xxvi]
DEEP’s Eligibility Determination
On April 24, 2026, the Connecticut DEEP issued an Eligibility Determination Memorandum, signed by Carlos Esguerra, Supervising Environmental Engineer in the Municipal Wastewater section. The memorandum is the State’s formal, on-the-record finding that the Shared and OLSBA Internal projects are eligible for Clean Water Fund grant and loan participation, and it states in DEEP’s own words that “the DEEP authorized the Associations to proceed into construction on January 31, 2026.”[xxvii]
This document matters because it removes any remaining question about whether the State views the project as fundable and ready. The State authority writing the funding rules has put its position in writing: the project is eligible, and the construction phase is authorized.
BOG Authorization to Sign Shared NTPs
At the April 29 Special BOG meeting, the four Governors present voted unanimously to authorize the President to sign Notices to Proceed for the Shared contractor packages. With that authorization in hand, the President executed the NTPs the following day, and they bear an effective date of April 24, 2026.
Authorization and Funding Confirmed
By the close of April, two long-anticipated milestones were complete as we issued Notices to Proceed dated April 24, 2026 for the Shared contractors:
- Shared Pump Station: JL Raymaakers[xxviii]
- Shared Shoreline Sewer: Baltazar Construction (OLSBA-signed copy)[xxix]
We also completed our CWF applications for both programs. The 720-D Shared application[xxx] and the 645-D OLSBA Internal application[xxxi] are both DEEP-approved at Amendment 6 and Amendment 8 respectively. These amendments unlocked the funding the project needs (including engineering services from Fuss & O’Neill) to bridge into the construction phase. The applications have been signed, submitted, and acknowledged by DEEP. With the applications in, OLSBA’s financial obligations under the project have been formally tied to the Clean Water Fund’s grant, low-interest loan, and loan-forgiveness.
With Shared contractors selected, Notices to Proceed issued, performance bonds and insurance delivered, CWF applications acknowledged, and DEEP’s eligibility determination on the record, the Shared work has cleared the gates for construction. The corresponding construction contracts will be executed alongside the OLSBA Internal contracts.
Construction-Phase Funding Applications Filed
The first week of May added two more pieces to the funding stack: the construction-phase applications that move each program from its planning amendment (the “-D” series, for “Design”) to its construction-phase counterpart (the “-C” series for “Construction”):
- April 30, 2026: DEEP acknowledged receipt of the completed CWF 720-C Shared construction application, the financing instrument that will draw down loan and grant funds against Shared construction invoices as the work proceeds.
- May 5, 2026: DEEP acknowledged receipt of the completed CWF 645-C OLSBA Internal construction application, the parallel instrument for the Internal sewer, stormwater, and road work.
In parallel, CWF 645-D Reimbursement Requests 32, 33, and 34 (covering engineering and pre-construction expenses already incurred under the planning amendment) were processed by DEEP during January and February.[xxxii]
Looking Ahead: OLSBA Internal NTPs
The remaining gate lies with the OLSBA Internal work, the gravity collection sewers within our streets and the storm drainage and road improvements that go with them. The contractors and the design are in place;[xxxiii] the CWF 645-D planning amendment is approved;[xxxiv] and as of May 5 the 645-C construction application is on file with DEEP with an estimate from DEEP that approval can be expected in June.[xxxv] What’s left for the Internal scope is to issue Notices to Proceed for the OLSBA Internal Sewer and Stormwater projects, source and issue OLSBA bonds covering the portion of Internal project costs that fall outside CWF eligibility, and execute the construction contracts.
At the May 12 WPCA meeting, the Authority should review the Internal scope and address member questions; at the May 20 BOG meeting, the Board will vote on authorization of the Internal Notices to Proceed. Members are invited to attend; meeting notices, agendas, and Zoom links will be posted to oldlymeshores.org and circulated by email per the usual practice.
We will be engaging contractors to coordinate a phased construction plan to minimize summer-season disruption inside Old Lyme Shores. The Shared infrastructure, pump station, force main, and shoreline trunk sewer along the main state access road, is expected to begin this summer, largely outside the boundaries of the association. The OLSBA Internal work (gravity collection sewers, storm drainage, and road restoration within our streets) would begin after the peak summer season.
Once the OLSBA Internal NTPs are issued, members will be invited to participate in pre-construction meetings to obtain construction information directly from Fuss & O’Neill and the contractors. Some of the items that could be addressed would be:
- When will my street be in the active phase, and how long will it last?
- How will driveway access work during construction in front of my home?
- Where will trucks, excavators, and materials be staged overnight?
- Will water, electric, or telecommunications service be interrupted, and for how long?
- How will OLSBA’s schedule coordinate with OCBCA’s, MBA’s, and the Town’s work?
Pre-construction notifications will begin once Notices to Proceed are issued and contracts are executed.
What This Means for Members
After 15 years of planning, design, bidding, re-bidding, financing, and contracting, the project is moving from paper to ground. The funding structure that the membership approved in the 2025 Supplemental Bond Resolution[xxxvi] (total authorization $22.7M, with the sewer system capped at $18.7M) is the framework under which all of this work proceeds. The CWF subsidies and loan-forgiveness components are designed to keep the per-household impact within the range members were briefed on as far back as May 2025. OLSBA’s planning case remains close to the figures that have been discussed with members for more than a year[xxxvii], even after absorbing the cost escalations from the past year’s bid-award delays created by OLSBA and MBA. A detailed financial model and analysis will be provided to all members in advance of the May 20 BOG meeting.
We can all expect some degree of construction disruption, which we will be trying to limit to the off-season. There will be questions, and we will do our best to answer them. The WPCA and BOG will keep members informed at each meeting and through regular communication. If you have questions in the meantime, we welcome correspondence 24 hours before any meeting and reserve time for resident comments at the end of every session.
John Cunningham
President
Old Lyme Shores Beach Association
Source Documents
All citations refer to documents in the OLSBA Google Drive. Preference is given to documents issued by Connecticut DEEP, the Connecticut Office of the Treasurer, Fuss & O’Neill, and the project contractors.
Prepared May 8, 2026.
[i] OLSBA Stormwater Plan, Fuss & O’Neill, October 26, 2021. OLSBA Stormwater Plan_201210126.pdf
[ii] Unified Consent Order, Connecticut DEEP, February 14, 2018. 20180214-CTDEEP-UnifiedConsentOrder.pdf
[iii] Cost Sharing Agreement, OLSBA / OCBCA / MBA / Town of Old Lyme, 2020 searchable copy. 2020-CostSharingAgreement-Searchable.pdf
[iv] Stamped and Signed OLSBA Internal Sewer Project — Plan Set, Fuss & O’Neill, September 10, 2021. 20210910_Stamped and Signed OLSBA Internal Sewer Project Plan Set.pdf. Project Manuals (Volumes 1 and 2) and Restoration Drawings are filed alongside.
[v] CWF 720-D Shared Infrastructure — Amendment 6 (DEEP-Approved Draft), Connecticut DEEP, March 26, 2026. 20260326AE AP CWF 720D SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE AMENDMENT 6 DRAFT DEEP-APPROVED.pdf
[vi] CWF 645-D OLSBA — Amendment 8 (DEEP-Approved Draft), Connecticut DEEP, March 26, 2026. 20260326AE AP CWF 645D OLSBA AMENDMENT 8 DRAFT DEEP-APPROVED.pdf
[vii] Old Lyme and beaches sewer construction costs and shared parsed out, 2.8.24, Connecticut Office of the Treasurer (cost estimating worksheet provided to OLSBA), February 8, 2024. Old Lyme and beaches sewer construction costs and shared parsed out 2.8.24.xlsx
[viii] Old Lyme Shared Sewer Infrastructure Pump Station — Notice of Award, OLSBA / Fuss & O’Neill, January 31, 2026. 20260131_Old Lyme Shared Sewer Infrastructure Pump Station – Notice of Award.pdf
[ix] Old Lyme Shared Sewer Infrastructure Shoreline Sewer — Notice of Award, OLSBA / Fuss & O’Neill, January 31, 2026. 20260131_Old Lyme Shared Sewer Infrastructure Shoreline Sewer – Notice of Award.pdf
[x] OLSBA Internal Sewer and Association Improvements — Notice of Award, OLSBA / Fuss & O’Neill, January 31, 2026. 20260131_OLSBA Internal Sewer and Association Improvements – Notice of Award.pdf
[xi] OCBCA Internal Sewer and Association Improvements — Notice of Award, OCBCA / Fuss & O’Neill, January 31, 2026. 20260131_OCBCA Internal Sewer and Association Improvements – Notice of Award.pdf
[xii] MBA Internal Sewer and Association Improvements — Notice of Award, MBA / Fuss & O’Neill, January 31, 2026. 20260131_MBA Internal Sewer and Association Improvements – Notice of Award.pdf
[xiii] Bid — JL Raymaakers & Sons, JL Raymaakers & Sons, February 18, 2025. Bid_JLRaymakers&Sons_20250218.pdf
[xiv] Bid — Baltazar Contractors, Baltazar Construction, October 8, 2025. Bid_Baltazar Contractors_20251008.pdf
[xv] Baltazar Bid Tabulation — Force Main and Bioxide Project, Baltazar Construction, October 30, 2025. 20251030_Baltazar Bid Tabulation_Force Main and Bioxide Project.pdf
[xvi] Old Lyme Projects — Construction Phase, Fuss & O’Neill, April 21, 2026. 20260421_Old Lyme Projects Construction Phase.pdf
[xvii] Baltazar Site Meeting (notes), OLSBA, February 17, 2026. 20260217-Baltazar Site Meeting
[xviii] Baltazar Bonds and Insurance — OLSBA, Baltazar Construction, February 13, 2026. 20260213-BaltazarBondsInsurance-OLSBA.pdf
[xix] Approval of Project Planning Activity, Connecticut DEEP, February 18, 2026. DEEP-ApprovalOfProjectPlanningActivity-20260218.pdf
[xx] Proposal — Project Plan for Notice to Proceed, Fuss & O’Neill, February 2026. Proposal_ Project Plan for Notice to Proceed.pdf
[xxi] CWF 720-D Shared Infrastructure — Amendment 6 (DEEP-Approved Draft), Connecticut DEEP, March 26, 2026. 20260326AE AP CWF 720D SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE AMENDMENT 6 DRAFT DEEP-APPROVED.pdf
[xxii] CWF 645-D OLSBA — Amendment 8 (DEEP-Approved Draft), Connecticut DEEP, March 26, 2026. 20260326AE AP CWF 645D OLSBA AMENDMENT 8 DRAFT DEEP-APPROVED.pdf
[xxiii] Permit Update [14 March 2026], Fuss & O’Neill, March 14, 2026. Permit Update (14 March 2026)
[xxiv] Old Lyme Projects — Construction Phase, Fuss & O’Neill, April 21, 2026. 20260421_Old Lyme Projects Construction Phase.pdf
[xxv] OLSBA NTP Recommendation, OLSBA WPCA / Fuss & O’Neill, prepared for the April 29, 2026 Special BOG Meeting. OLSBA-NTP-Recommendation.pdf
[xxvi] OLSBA — Updated Certificate of Bond Resolution (signed), OLSBA, April 22, 2026. OLSBA-UpdatedCertificateBondResolution-signed-20260422.pdf
[xxvii] Old Lyme Wastewater Management Project — Eligibility Determination Memorandum, Connecticut DEEP, signed by Carlos Esguerra, Supervising Environmental Engineer, April 24, 2026. On file with the WPCA (Attachments/01_DEEP_EligibilityDetermination_20260424.pdf).
[xxviii] Shared Sewer Infrastructure Pump Station — Notice to Proceed, OLSBA / Fuss & O’Neill, April 24, 2026. 20260424_Shared Sewer Infrastructure Pump Station – Notice to Proceed.pdf (OLSBA-signed copy filed alongside).
[xxix] Shared Sewer Infrastructure Shoreline Sewer — Notice to Proceed (OLSBA-signed), OLSBA / Fuss & O’Neill, April 24, 2026. 20260424_Shared Sewer Infrastructure Shoreline Sewer – Notice to Proceed – OLSBA-signed.pdf
[xxx] CWF 720-D Shared Infrastructure — Amendment 6 (DEEP-Approved Draft), Connecticut DEEP, March 26, 2026. 20260326AE AP CWF 720D SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE AMENDMENT 6 DRAFT DEEP-APPROVED.pdf
[xxxi] CWF 645-D OLSBA — Amendment 8 (DEEP-Approved Draft), Connecticut DEEP, March 26, 2026. 20260326AE AP CWF 645D OLSBA AMENDMENT 8 DRAFT DEEP-APPROVED.pdf
[xxxii] CWF 645-D Reimbursement Requests 32, 33, and 34, OLSBA / DEEP, January–February 2026. On file with the WPCA (Attachments/12_CWF-645D_Reimbursements/).
[xxxiii] Stamped and Signed OLSBA Internal Sewer Project — Plan Set, Fuss & O’Neill, September 10, 2021. 20210910_Stamped and Signed OLSBA Internal Sewer Project Plan Set.pdf. Project Manuals (Volumes 1 and 2) and Restoration Drawings are filed alongside.
[xxxiv] CWF 645-D OLSBA — Amendment 8 (DEEP-Approved Draft), Connecticut DEEP, March 26, 2026. 20260326AE AP CWF 645D OLSBA AMENDMENT 8 DRAFT DEEP-APPROVED.pdf
[xxxv] DEEP statement at the April 21, 2026 project meeting attended by OLSBA, Fuss & O’Neill, the WPCA, and DEEP.
[xxxvi] Supplemental Bond Resolution, OLSBA, May 24, 2025. 20250524-BondResolution-Supplemental.pdf
[xxxvii] Special Association Meeting, May 24, 2025; project cost framework presented to membership in connection with the Supplemental Bond Resolution. Meeting minutes and briefing materials on file with OLSBA.