Project Summary - August 8, 2005
Project Goals:
Bolton Lakes Regional Water Pollution Authority:
Project Cost and Financing:
Cost to Properties Getting Sewers:
Project Schedule:
Upcoming Referendum:
Regulatory Situation:
Project Summary prepared by the Bolton Lakes Regional Water Pollution Control Authority. Additional information is available on the Towns' websites:
www.bolton.govoffice.com
Bolton Lakes Sewer Project
Description:
This project will provide sanitary sewers to properties around Lower and Middle Bolton Lakes and along Route 44 in Bolton. Some larger properties on the western side of the Lakes are not included. A low pressure sewer system using grinder pumps at each property will be used to limit disruption and control cost, and the sewers will discharge to Manchester's sewer system for treatment.
Sewers will replace septic systems which in many cases are undersized and do not operate well due to shallow groundwater and poorly draining soils. This will improve quality of the groundwater and surface runoff in the area, protecting drinking water sources and Lakes water quality. The sewers will also eliminate constraints on water use during spring high groundwater conditions, and will improve property values.
A new regional entity has been formed to administer this project, which positioned the Towns to receive more grant funding. The BLRWPCA is made up of representatives from both Bolton and Vernon, and is backed financially by both towns.
The project is estimated to cost a total of $17 million. This cost includes allowances for inflation over the 6 years that the project will be under construction. The BLRWPCA has worked hard to line up both DEP Clean Water Fund and USDA Rural Development financing to control the local costs for the project. Over 50% of the project cost will be paid by grants from these two agencies, with the rest paid by sewer benefit assessments and taxes.
Properties served by the sewers will need to pay a $10,000 benefit assessment for each home, or equivalent thereof. This can be financed over 20 years at 2% interest ($612/year). The tax impact of the sewer project is anticipated to be approximately 0.35 mils in Bolton and 0.05 mils in Vernon. Other costs to sewer users will be for connecting your building to the grinder pump and crushing and filling your septic tank, and the sewer use fee to cover O&M costs (estimated at $450/year).
Sewer construction will be broken into 5 phases in order to maximize grant funding. Following preliminary work (survey, design, permitting, etc.), the first construction contract is expected to start in spring 2007 with a contact per year thereafter. Construction will start at the Manchester connection point and work generally easterly from there.
Referendums are planned for both Bolton and Vernon for September, and all registered voters and property owners are eligible to vote, not just those in the project area. Technically this vote will be to approve the Financing Ordinance that commits the two towns to their support of the BLRWPCA proceeding with the project.
The Towns are required by Consent Order (i.e. an enforcement action by the DEP that the Towns previously agreed to abide by) to construct this sewer system. The towns would be subject to enforcement action and fines by the DEP if they do not implement the sewer system. Another critical point is that the very significant funding assistance lined up for this project will be in jeopardy if the towns fail to pass the referendum. In that case the Towns still need to comply with the Order, but would have to pay for an increased percentage of the project to make up for lost grants.
