Sewer Project Soundly Rejected by Old Lyme Voters at Referendum

A sign near “MIscellaneous Area B” in the Sound View Beach section of town was put up in opposition to the sewer project as seen on the day of the referendum vote. Credit: Elizabeth Regan/LymeLine.

OLD LYME – Residents and taxpayers on Tuesday overturned a 2019 resolution when they moved decisively to reject the $20.5 million Sound View sewer project.

Question: Shall the Town of Old Lyme authorize an increase in the existing appropriation for the Sound View Beach and Miscellaneous Town Area B Sewer Project by $11,028,486?

Yes: 363

No: 925

The previous referendum on Aug. 13, 2019, passed in a 883 to 565 vote.

First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker immediately after Tuesday’s vote declined to comment until she speaks to representatives of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). She said she had notified them of the results.

The state agency has warned continued delays will jeopardize state and federal funding amounting to roughly half the project cost. The agency for years has been working with three private beach associations and the town to resolve pollution issues the agency attributes to shoreline septic systems.

Old Lyme Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) Chairman Steve Cinami in an emailed statement said it was unfortunate the Old Lyme Board of Selectmen did not explain the consequences of a failed referendum vote to the public.

“It will be interesting going forward to see how much money will be spent fighting the DEEP, which all taxpayers will have to absorb,” he said.

Dennis Melluzzo, a project opponent and member of the WPCA, said voters this time around understood the costs of installing sewers in the public beach area would not be limited to Sound View residents. Voters in 2019 had been assured that only residents of the impacted neighborhoods would have to pay.

“This is taxpayers’ money,” Melluzzo said.

Editor’s Note: Watch for the full report Wednesday.