SWAMPSCOTT — Representatives from the engineering consulting company Kleinfelder joined a Select Board meeting to discuss the state of illicit discharge detection and elimination efforts at King’s Beach and Fisherman’s Beach.

In 2015, the town and the Environmental Protection Agency entered into a consent decree settlement, in which Swampscott would make an effort to rehabilitate its sewer system while submitting compliance reports to the EPA documenting its Enterococcus bacteria level.

The town plans to implement what it and Kleinfelder are calling an “aggressive” approach to funding sewer improvements, including using $3.5 million in sewer enterprise funds and $2.1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds this calendar year, and $3.5 million in 2025 and 2026 through the state revolving fund.

Kleinfelder Project Manager David Peterson described those years as “phase two” of the project.

“If you don’t consider the benefit of ARPA funds, we averaged a little less than $1 million a year over phase one, basically,” Peterson said. “What we’re trying to show is that, with our phase-two approach, we’re trying to accelerate how we do it, we’re making the contracts bigger, and we’re going to use SRF funds… It’s a recognition that there’s a lot of work to do.”

Peterson updated the board on the research being conducted on the feasibility of two alternative treatments for King’s Beach. The first is an extension to the outfall of approximately 4,500 feet into Nahant Bay. According to Peterson, the EPA and state Department of Environmental Protection have expressed support for the project. He said he hopes that Kleinfelder can break ground on it this calendar year, with the next steps being to update the design concept and construction costs, and to conduct a study on the amount of eelgrass located in Nahant Bay to determine if its presence could hinder construction.

The other alternative being studied is the use of ultraviolet-light disinfection. Kleinfelder has partnered with Toronto-based company Trojan Technologies to test samples of water from the two beaches. One requirement of this plan is the construction of a UV treatment facility in town.

“One of the biggest things is where the heck do you put it?” Peterson said. “A site analysis is going to be very challenging and very controversial if we ever even get to looking at siting.”

The site of the former Calgon Station on New Ocean Street was one location Peterson and his peers believe could be suitable.

Phase one of the project included the town repairing 470 private sewer laterals. Peterson said that phase two is likely to include additional lateral repairs. Director of Public Works Gino Cresta suggested that improving laterals is just as important as improving main lines. He used Norwood as an example of a town that first only improved the main lines, but eventually had to rehabilitate the laterals after the fact due to “horrible” results.

“Instead of going into a part of town and disrupting it twice, let’s just do it once,” Cresta said.

Board Chair David Grishman asked Peterson to project how much improvement the town should expect to see at the conclusion of 2026. Peterson said he expects to see the entirety of the area outlined by Kleinfelder restored.

Board member MaryEllen Fletcher asked Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald when the asset-management report would be finished and available to the public. Fitzgerald said it would be available in approximately one week.

“I requested that report November, December, January, February,” Fletcher said. “What’s the ETA on this?”

Fletcher said that the report is significant because it identifies the most critical areas in need of repair pertaining to water and sewer. She expressed her desire to have the report finalized before May’s Town Meeting, at which the phase-two funds could be approved.

Water and Sewer Infrastructure Advisory Committee Vice Chair Christopher Vockley informed the board that seven community members have been trained on water testing thus far, and three of them are DPW staff. Some board members expressed interest in becoming trained in the testing process themselves.