Lillis oil tank replacement to cost $98,000

NEW MILFORD — The school board has awarded a nearly $98,000 bid to ETT Environmental for the replacement of the oil tank at the Lillis Administration building.

The building, at 50 East St., houses the school’s central offices. The tank at Hill and Plain Elementary School is being replaced by the same company.

The schools are looking to replace the tank at Sarah Noble intermediate School. The bidding period for that project will close on Oct. 30.

“For anyone who might be looking in and wondering why has this been the season of oil tanks for the school district and the town, we’re both working hard to comply with environmental regulations that require certain tanks when they reach a certain age to be retired and replaced,” interim Superintendent Stephen Tracy said. “So that’s what we’re doing and we’re working our way through it.”

If a tank is left in the ground after 30 years, the owner is charged a $10,000 fine for each tank and a daily fine until it is removed. School officials discovered they needed to replace the tanks last fall after pulling permits to add check valves.

When the problem was discovered, school officials were unsure whether to replace the tank at the Lillis building because the town is considering selling the site for development..

The tank has since been included in the bidding process. The tank to be installed was ordered for the Hill and Plain project but had to be replaced with an above-ground tank.

School officials are reviewing and awarding the bids for the school tanks, though the town is paying for the work.

The school board requested the town fund the $105,000, and approved at a Town Council meeting in June, to replace the Lillis tank with the understanding the extra money will go back to the town.