SOMERSET -- Officials from the town and the Brayton Point Power Station last night signed an innovative agreement to let the power plant tap up to 1.28 million gallons per day of treated sewer water from the town that would otherwise be dumped into the Taunton River.

The effluent, also known as "gray water" or "reclaimed water," will be used to help operate Brayton Point's sulfur-scrubbing system, set to begin operations in October 2007.

Because the power plant would otherwise have to use town drinking water, the agreement means less strain on the town's water supply and gives Brayton a less-expensive source of mostly clean water.

A hearing on the proposal in February produced no opposition.

As part of the agreement, the town will do a twice-a-day check of the pumping station, to be built on sewer-plant property at 116 Walker St., and receive $146,000 in the first full year for that service.

Dominion Resources, the owner of the power plant, will lease the land for the pumping station for $8,000 in the first year.

In subsequent years, payments to the town will be adjusted based on the federal Consumer Price Index.

The deal will last for 10 years including an option to renew for two additional decades, with payments to be renegotiated at the end of each 10-year period.

Because the waste-treatment plant typically discharges 3.2 million gallons per day, that means its effluent would be cut by up to 40 percent.

"The water is no longer going to go into the river, but it will help the environmental standards down there [at the power plant] and this is something that the board wholeheartedly approves of," said Board of Selectmen Chairman Patrick O'Neil.

The idea has been around for years.

The power plant's previous owner, PG&E National Energy Group (which later became U.S. Gen New England), asked in 2003 to use 670,000 gallons wastewater per day at its facility. Negotiations stalled when the plant was put up for sale. Talks resumed in October after Dominion bought Brayton.

"It's been a slow, patient process. I think we have an agreement that everyone's happy with," said Clement Brown, the town's lawyer.

Barry Ketschke, station director at the plant, said designs for the project are nearly complete. The water will be pumped from the treatment plant to the power station through 9,000 feet of 10-inch-wide pipe.

"This is truly a win-win situation for the town of Somerset and for us," said Ketschke.

Some permits still need to be secured before construction can begin, said Brown, but the Conservation Commission and Planning Board have already approved the project.

Under the proposal, once the agreement terminates, Dominion will restore all the land to its original condition, unless the town asks the power company to retain the improvements.

The Brayton Point plant makes up about 30 percent of the town's tax base.

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