‘It’s critical:’ Town sewer department is severely understaffed

Jun 26, 2021

The town’s sewer department is severely understaffed, and although the problem isn’t necessarily new, Director of Water Pollution Control Guy Campinha said the low staffing levels are cause for concern. 

During a June 24 Sewer Commission meeting, Campinha said the wastewater treatment plant is supposed to have a staff of about 18 —  a number that helps ensure that there are at least nine to 10 people on hand to help maintain the system even when other employees use vacation time or aren’t working for some other reason.

In total, Campinha said he has eight staff members. But recently with staff using “use it or lose it” vacation time, he’s been short-handed.

On June 21 there were only two people at the plant, he said.

On June 24, there were “two staff plus my manager to do the pump stations, check the lines and to run the plant,” Campinha said. “And I was there.” 

Campinha explained that he’s brought it up to the town and “everybody’s aware,” of the issue, but noted that “the industry’s struggling.”

“We have to do something,” he said, adding that he didn’t want anything to happen when the department was too understaffed to address problems. 

He said that earlier in the week there’d been a backup in Onset, and he was “very concerned” because he had no one on staff that day who could operate the equipment that is sometimes needed to clear blockages.

“If I had to attack a blockage in the street, I’d have had to hire a contractor and wait for them to get there,” Campinha said. “It had me a little nervous.” 

Campinha also pointed out that “time is of the essence” when addressing blockages in Wareham because it’s a coastal community, and dumping sewage into the ocean can result in a several-week shutdown.

Fortunately, he said the backup in Onset was within a building and required a plumber rather than street work.

But Campinha’s worry is not unfounded. In July 2020, a sewage spill at the pump station at the end of the Stonebridge in Onset resulted in the closure of some beaches and a two-week ban on shellfishing in Onset Bay.

The spill occurred when Water Pollution Control Facility crews were working to un-clog the pumps. While they worked, the level in the wet well rose and needed to be released. The crews turned on both pumps, instead of just one (which is the usual practice), and between five gallons and 2,500 gallons of sewage overflowed into the bay.

The July 2020 clog was caused by people flushing baby wipes and cleaning wipes down the toilet, which they are not supposed to do, Campinha said at the time.

The sewer system is only equipped to handle toilet paper, and other materials cause clogs that require time and work to fix. Clogs also shorten the lifespan of the equipment. To help prevent clogs, the Sewer Department advises sewer users not to flush baby wipes, cleaning wipes, feminine hygiene products, paper towels, tissues or trash of any kind.

Moving forward, Campinha said the department is exploring options to bring in staffing via a private company. But for now, he said the issue is “no longer acceptable — it’s critical.”

This story has been updated to include information about a sewage leak that occurred in 2020.