WESTBROOK – The Westbrook City Council on Monday authorized $5 million in general obligation bonds that will pay for three major sewer projects to take place during the next few years.

The bonds, which will be paid for by sewer user fees, will fund what are known as sewer separation or “combined sewer overflow” abatement projects, which have been occurring in Westbrook and other neighboring municipalities the past several years.

City Administrator Jerre Bryant explained the purpose of the bonds to Westbrook’s Boy Scout Troop No. 70 Monday night at the council meeting, as the troop was on hand learning about civil service.

He said the projects would fund a new pipeline for wastewater and utilize the existing line for stormwater and groundwater.

Bryant said that prior to these projects unfolding, beginning a few decades ago, sewer lines received both wastewater and stormwater runoff, which caused frequent overflow problems.

“Eventually, the goal is to eliminate all combined sewer overflows,” he said.

Bryant said costs associated with these projects depend on the size and age of a city’s system, but that once completed, would last for decades.

City Engineer Eric Dudley outlined the three projects in a memo to the City Council. The projects would include work on Mitchell, Chestnut and Kennard streets, Cloudman, Foster and Dunn streets, and Conant Street and Route 25.