NORWICH – For months now, City of Norwich Department of Public Works Superintendent Carl Ivarson has been warning officials about the city’s outdated current water filtration system, and the need to begin planning for a new system.

After contracting Stearns & Wheler Engineering for $39,000 to look at conceptual designs for a new system, the city has received a technical memorandum from the company, recommending specifications for the project. The contractor examined the plant’s capacity and water quality for the filtration facilities, and made recommendations based on estimates for demand and current regulations.

In an earlier meeting, Mayor Joseph Maiurano said that city officials were meeting with different legislators. “We’re trying to make sure we’ll have the funding in place so there is no burden on the taxpayers,” the Mayor said. The project could cost in excess of $5 million.

The city’s water supply is Chenango Lake in New Berlin - which consists of the majority of the surface water supply - the upper reservoir, the lower reservoir and two wells to supplement. Stearns and Wheler noted that in the last 20 years, the overall population in the city and town, and in the town of North Norwich, has decreased. No considerable growth is forecasted for the area, however the company allowed for light industrial, commercial and residential growth in their plans for the water system.