NORWICH – The City of Norwich had originally hoped to begin construction for upgrades at the Waste Water Treatment Plant this month and finish the project by March of 2010, but due to delays in the process, the construction may take additional time.

The upgrades call for the replacement of the system’s rotating biological contactors. The equipment was damaged as a result of more than 20 years of regular operation. The waste water treatment plant is made up of 18 RBCs on three separate trains. At any given time, two trains are in operation. The RBCs make up a large portion of the secondary wastewater treatment system, but due to their condition, they require extensive repair or maintenance to sustain adequate treatment and keep the city in compliance with requirements from the Department of Environmental Conservation and upcoming regulations from other agencies.

When a timeline for the project was first discussed in June of 2008, construction was expected to begin in January of 2009, and the project was expected to be completed by March 2010.