Apparent sewage leak in Milford threatens oyster farming businesses
DEEP says it and the city are now using both video surveillance and dye testing in the storm and sewer pipes, in hopes of narrowing down where it could be coming from.
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UPDATE: Milford public works said there are more tests planned for the water around the oyster beds next week. They also said the water is safe for swimming and won't impact the upcoming beach season.
What officials say appears to be a sewage leak into the Long Island Sound is now threatening the future of oyster farming businesses in Milford.
Charles Viens, the owner of Charles Island Oyster Farm, tells News 12 that he got a call from the city back in November telling him the entire West Shore of Milford was being closed to both commercial and recreational shell fishing because of a sewage issue. He didn't think much of it, since it's a call he's gotten before.
"Normally when that happens, we're closed for eight days," Viens explained.
But it still hasn't been fixed more than four months later, meaning Viens hasn't had any way to make money.
Viens says oyster farming is a year-round business.
"We missed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years - three of our biggest holidays because of the closure," he says.
The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection tells News 12 that it was brought in to help in January and has been unable to pinpoint the exact source of the leak.
DEEP says it was first thought to be an issue at the wastewater treatment facility, but an investigation determined that was fine.
Now, they think it could be either all of the bags of dog poop they found while cleaning out the storm lines or the possibility that somebody illegally piped the drainage from their bathroom into a storm sewer.
Viens says he thinks the issue is a little bigger, saying that he was told "right in the very beginning, (the Department of) Aquaculture determined it couldn't be from one bathroom, there was too much sewage. It's got to be a main sewer pipe."
DEEP says it and the city are now using both video surveillance and dye testing in the storm and sewer pipes, in hopes of narrowing down where it could be coming from.
Until they find the source though, there is no real timeline for when shellfishing will be allowed again.
"We're practically out of business, I mean we have a real uncertain future," said Viens. "I've lost all my wholesale and retail customers, my bills are stacking up. It's a pretty rough situation."
Charles Island Oyster Farm's eight employees have all been forced to find other jobs.
Viens says if this doesn't get fixed soon, he'll also have to leave behind the business he started in 2009.
"I'll be forced to liquidate. It's horrible to even think about, but I have been," he admitted.
DEEP does say that its testing showed water quality seemed to be better after recent rain.
Still, there is also the possibility that this leak could impact swimming.
