BRANFORD DISCHARGES WASTEWATER TO BRANFORD HARBOR, A HARBOR ON LONG ISLAND SOUND, PURSUANT TO A NATIONAL POLLUTION DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) PERMIT AUTHORIZED UNDER THE CLEAN WATER ACT. FOR NEARLY A DECADE, THE TOWN HAS STUDIED AND TAKEN SOME STEPS TO IMPROVE THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF ITS SEWAGE COLLECTION SYSTEM. THE TOWN'S EFFORTS HAVE BEEN LARGELY UNSUCCESSFUL. AS A RESULT, NUMEROUS OVERFLOWS OF SEWAGE INTO NAVIGABLE WATERS HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. THESE OVERFLOWS CONSTITUTE UNAUTHORIZED DISCHARGES WHICH ARE PROHIBITED BY THE CLEAN WATER ACT.