Utilities
The site offers available high capacity utilities and potential redundancies as further described below.
The following excerpt is taken from a 2011 Fuss & O'Neill POCD for Preston Riverwalk. Please refer to that document for a more complete report.
3 Utility Assessment
In May of 1998, a Utility Impact Review of the Norwich State Hospital
was completed by Clough, Harbour & Associates LLP for the State of
Connecticut. Comprehensive reviews of the site utilities, as well as
surrounding utilities supplying the site were reviewed. In April of
2010, the Conceptual &
Management Plan for the Redevelopment of Preston Riverwalk, summarized
the findings of the Utility Impact Review and also included more current
data of the utilities that may provide services to future development of
the Site.
We have assumed the existing sanitary sewer pumping station located on Parcel 3 and the necessary piping associated with the continuing operation of the pumping station would remain for use in the future development. All other site utilities located within the parcel should be considered for reuse when planning for future development in order to minimize impacts and reduce construction costs. Our analysis of the utilities below focused on the transmission and distribution systems within the adjacent streets right-of-ways.
The findings of the utility analysis for each parcel are provided below in a tabular format. A complete description of these findings is provided in subsequent sections.
3.1 Sanitary Sewer
In 1986, a sanitary sewer pumping station for the Norwich State Hospital was installed in place of the primary clarifier at the onsite treatment facility. This pumping station has the capacity of pumping approximately 700 gallons per minute (1 million gallons per day (gpd)). Wastewater is pumped from this facility through a force main north and discharges into a Norwich Public Utilities manhole structure located approximately 1,800 feet north on Laurel Hill Road (Route 12).
The Southeastern Connecticut Regional Resources Recovery Authority (SCRRRA) has a sewer agreement which allows them to discharge sanitary sewer to the City’s system via the pump station located on Parcel 3. This agreement also includes an easement for the SCRRRA to maintain the lateral from the SCRRRA site to the pumping station located on Parcel 3. Currently the SCRRRA facility pumps approximately 28,800 gpd, providing sufficient available capacity to support redevelopment of the Site under most conceivable scenarios and use types.
Parcel 1 and Parcel 2 currently do not have provisions for future sanitary sewer service. A four inch sanitary force main is located within Military Highway that currently services the SCRRRA. Since the SCRRRA facility only pumps approximately 28,800 gpd, additional capacity within the four inch force main is available to provide service to Parcel 1 and Parcel 2. Sanitary sewer from Parcels 1 and 2 would require a pumping system and force main to the existing pumping station located in Parcel 3.
Parcel 3 currently has sanitary service by means of the pumping station located at the lowest portion of the site. The pumping station is located at the north end of Parcel 4 and to the east of railroad tracks. Development within Parcel 3 can be conveyed by gravity to the existing pumping station.
Parcel 5 is the highest portion of the site and any future development for the site will likely beaccommodated via a new conventional sanitary sewer lateral service without the need of an additional pumping station. Wastewater from Parcel 5 could most likely be piped across the street to Parcel 3 to be pumped to the Norwich Public Utilities system by the existing pumping station.
Parcel 6 currently does not have sanitary sewer service located
within the street on Poquetanuck Road. To connect the parcel to the pump
station located on Parcel 3, a service main would have to be constructed
within Poquetanuck Road and continued down the street to Parcel 3.
Parcel 6 is
located down gradient from Parcel 3, so a pumping station on Parcel 6
would be required to get wastewater to Parcel 3 where it can be
connected to a gravity line and discharged to the pumping station. An
alternative to the pumping station may be to provide an onsite
subsurface wastewater disposal system for the site, if allowed by
regulatory authorities. According to the Natural Resources Conservation
Service Web Soil Survey, the site contains soils suitable for
infiltration. The use of an onsite subsurface wastewater disposal system
would potentially impact the redevelopment opportunities and provide
constraints on both uses and build out capacity.
The existing pump station located within Parcel 3 and the associated available capacity should notsignificantly restrict redevelopment of the Site as long as it is well maintained and other conditions do not change.
3.2 Water Supply
Norwich Public Utilities currently has two operating water mains in the vicinity of the Site. A 12-inch water main runs south from Norwich and extends down Military Highway and ends directly in front of Parcel 3. In 1990, Norwich Public Utilities installed a 24-inch water main that extends south from Norwich and continues past Parcels 1 and 2. This 24-inch water main was installed to service the SCRRRA waste incinerator. According to the Utility Impact Review, “information provided by the City of Norwich Department of Public Utilities, the new 24-inch water line can provide approximately 5,000 gpm @ 20 psi in the proximity of the hospital site.”
Parcels 1 thru 5 can all obtain water service from the 24-inch water main that runs along Military Highway. Service laterals to each parcel would be required to support new development. To supply Parcel 6 with water from the Norwich Public Utilities for its future development, a water main extension would have to be constructed in Poquetanuck Road.
Groton Utilities also has water service close to the project area. Their water service ends south ofthe site in Ledyard, but can be extended north to the site to allow the Site to be serviced by multiple suppliers.
In general, the size, flow and capacity of a main with the flow characteristics indicated above should not significantly restrict development of the Site. However, some buildings (e.g. those with fire suppression systems, or high rises) may require fire pumps or booster pumps in order to provide adequate pressure.
3.3 Natural Gas
Northeast Utilities System currently provides natural gas service in the vicinity of the Site. A 12-inch high pressure natural gas main is located in Poquetanuck Road and ends at the intersection of Military Highway and Poquetanuck Road, directly across the street from the cemetery near Parcel 3. Parcel 6 should be able to access this main on Poquetanuck Road to obtain service. The 12-inch main could be extended to supply natural gas to Parcels 3 thru 5.
Development of Parcels 3 thru 6 should not be significantly restricted based on the size and capacity of the existing natural gas main.
A separate 12-inch elevated high pressure natural gas main runs along
Military Highway adjacent to Parcels 1 and 2. These two parcels could
access this natural gas main to obtain service. Development of Parcels 1
and 2 should not be significantly restricted based on the size and
capacity
of the existing natural gas main.
Norwich Public Utilities also provides natural gas service near by. A six inch low pressure gas main terminates approximately 4,400 feet away to the north of the Site at the intersection of Woodland Drive and Route 12. This service can be extended south to the Site as well to provide development with multiple service suppliers.
3.4 Electricity
Connecticut Light and Power (CL&P) currently provides service in the
vicinity of the Site. In 1988 a 13.8KV switchgear system was installed
adjacent to Military Highway to supply the chiller plant on Parcel 3.
The Utility Impact Review which was conducted in 1998 describes the
switchgear as being
“well maintained” and in “excellent condition”. This switchgear also
provides power to a smaller 2.4KV switchgear that supplies the remainder
of the former Norwich Hospital campus with power. This switchgear is
described as being “antiquated and approaching the end of its service
life”.
CL&P provides service in the area of the entire Site and should not significantly restrict development on any of the Parcels based on access or capacity of their grid and circuits. The existing switchgear that currently supplies power to the chiller plant and the 2.4KV switchgear should be thoroughly examined to see if it is still economically viable as a supply point.
Norwich Public Utilities also currently provides service throughout Parcel 3. Overhead primary and secondary lines extend from the north on Route 12, southwest to the sanitary pump station and continue to the east of the Seymour building.
3.5 Telecommunications
AT&T currently has service in the vicinity of the Site via overhead wires. Representatives of AT&T have stated that their system should be capable of supporting redevelopment of the Site without significant restrictions.Services may include a variety of types such as data, cable, and fiber-optic.
