PUBLIC HEARING - BRISTOL WATERLINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT
Monday, September 23, 2024, ~ 7:00pm

Much of Bristol's water distribution system was installed in or around 1905—almost 120 years ago. Those parts of the water system have exceeded their life expectancy, resulting in extremely high water losses each year. This also results in increased operational costs, expensive emergency repairs, service interruptions, reduction in fire flows, and increased risks of contamination. The emergency repairs have the additional impact of leaving a patchwork of pavement along village streets.

The Town places safe and affordable drinking water as one of the highest priorities for our community. The Selectboard, in its capacity as the Water Commission, hired Green Mountain Engineering (GME) in 2021 to conduct a study of Bristol's entire water distribution system. The study identified replacing the nearly 30,000 feet of 1905 waterline as a high priority. Needless to say, this is a very large and costly undertaking for a small community such as Bristol.

The Bristol Water Commission evaluated several approaches and ultimately decided to break the larger project into the following four distinct phases:

Phase 1 – Pine Street
Phase 2 – Bristol West (includes some or all of Munsill, Maple, Pleasant, Church, Elm, Taylor, West, Park, and School Streets)
Phase 3 – Bristol East (includes some or all of Mountain, Fitch, East, North, Main Streets and Pumphouse Road)
Phase 4 – Rockydale (includes a cross-country line from the water tower to East Street as well as a cross-country line from the water tower to Rockydale (east side of town).

Phase I (Pine Street) was completed in 2023. Phase 2 (Bristol West) is currently in the final design and review stages. Once the design is approved and complete, the Town will work with the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of Vermont to fund the project. Our goal is to obtain 50% of the funds necessary to complete the project through programs administered by the State and Federal government. However, we will still need to pass a bond to finance the project. If project financing is approved, our current schedule anticipates constructing Phase 2 over two consecutive construction seasons beginning in 2026.

This type of project will require excavation along village streets that will be disruptive and may impact trees and landscaping in the public right-of-way. The large equipment required to do this work will require trimming (and in some cases removal and replacement) of a number of trees along the impacted streets.

The Selectboard will be hosting a public hearing on Monday September 23 to review and accept comments on the 90% design. While the meeting starts at 6:00pm, this agenda item is estimated to begin around 7:00pm.

Residents who live along any of these streets and others who want to learn more about the project are encouraged to attend the meeting on Monday either in person downstairs at the Bristol Town office or via Zoom. A recording of the meeting will also be available. The current design plans are posted on Bristol's Web site and are available to review at the Town Office.

Web site link:
http://bristolvt.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Bristol_West_Waterline_Replacement_Project_9[...]pdf

Contact Town Administrator Valerie Capels at (802) 453-2410 ext. 1 or e-mail townadmin@bristolvt.org for more information.

Event Info

Nov 12, 2024, 11 AM to 12 PM

Nov 16 to 17, 2024

Nov 17, 2024, 7 AM