Town to hold two votes to acquire Woodstock Aqueduct Company
By Katy Savage
After more than a year of discussion and negotiation, Woodstock has a plan to acquire the Woodstock Aqueduct Company, which has been a private utility since the late 1800s.
Town Manager Eric Duffy presented the plan on Sept. 23. He said the Select Board will call a special town meeting on Oct. 29, where residents will be asked for town approval to use $457,000 of the town’s undesignated fund balance to purchase the Aqueduct Company and all of its assets. If residents are in favor of the first vote, there will be a second special meeting on Dec. 10, where residents will be asked to acquire the 352-acre Vondell Reservoir property in West Woodstock and make capital improvements to the water system.
“It’s not going to cost you a single cent right now, but we want to be very, very clear, acquiring the aqueduct on Oct. 29 is Step One,” Duffy said. “There are capital projects that have to happen. The state is mandating them. We can’t acquire the aqueduct and then not do anything.”
Duffy said one necessary upgrade is a $700,000 repair to the water pipe on Elm Street bridge. The pipe was damaged in flooding last August and part of the pipe is lying on the sidewalk. A preliminary engineering report from Water Creek Engineering in October 2023 made other recommendations, including replacing an 8-inch pipe with 12-inch pipe from Cox District Road to the Woodstock Rec Center for about $4.3 million and replacing a water tank on Route 12 for about $4.8 million.
The discussions were the latest in an ongoing conversation about what to do with the Woodstock Aqueduct Company, which has faced financial woes and management issues. Last August, the town was without potable water for 10 days when there was a flood. Now, parts of the water system are still not fixed and if there’s a problem, residents said they can go for days without getting a call back from the company. The deteriorating water system has held up any new development or housing in Woodstock. And water pressure from the town’s fire hydrants doesn’t meet state regulations.
The town’s initial plan was to ask town voters to purchase the aqueduct company in November. However, state officials informed Duffy last month that the town must purchase the company by Oct. 30 or risk losing grants. Duffy said this led to the town asking the question to voters in two parts—first to purchase the company—and then to purchase the reservoir.
“This is one big step closer to ensuring our residents, businesses and schools have access to safe water,” Duffy said.
Some residents were concerned about the future costs of the water system. Others questioned if it would be better for another private company to acquire the water company.
Duffy pushed back, explaining repairs and upgrades are necessary whether or not the town owns the water company. He stressed that if the town owns the aqueduct company, repair costs could be offset with grants, while a private company would likely sharply increase water rates.
“The decision we made was out of necessity,” Duffy said. “The Select Board feels we need to own the water company for the future of Woodstock.”
The October vote will be made from the floor and residents must be present to have their voices heard. The question will specifically ask voters to purchase the Woodstock Aqueduct Company for its debts, which total $920,000. Duffy stressed the initial purchase wouldn’t cost taxpayers because half of the cost will be offset by two grants and the money to purchase the remaining $457,000 would come out of the town’s undesignated fund balance, which totals about $1.7 million.
Future repairs to the water system, however, would require the town to increase taxes.
“These are all expensive, long-term projects,” Duffy said.
Acquiring the aqueduct company could also bring some administrative challenges for the town. A staff member would need to have a water license, for example. Some residents said they felt like they were being held hostage and like they were being punished by having to pay for the water company’s mismanagement.
“I think it’s a tough time to be bringing forward capital improvements when we are just being hit with quite a large increase in our taxes,” resident Keri Bristow said. “I feel a little bit like we’re being held hostage by having to pay for it now and find money for it.”
But resident Jon Spector said customers have been enjoying low water rates and it’s time to catch up.
“I’ve been underpaying for everything,” Spector said. “We are not being held hostage by some anonymous entity. We’re being held hostage of ourselves by the decisions that we’ve all made.”
Charlie Kimbell, a Woodstock resident and former state representative, said he has respect for those who ran the Aqueduct Company.
“They were not run as a money-grabbing company,” he said. “They’re really run as a nonprofit, trying to keep rates as low as possible for the residents and the users of the water. They’re at the end of their management line and trying to run this company. And it’s time for new leadership and new direction, and that should be the town.”
Duffy and the Select Board members are moving forward by trying to get the word out to as many voters as they can. Duffy and board members are holding weekly meetings to answer questions. They’ll be available Mondays at 9 a.m. at South Woodstock Country Store, Tuesdays at 9 a.m. at Abracadabra Coffee Co., Wednesdays at 10 a.m. at Mon Vert Café, and Fridays at 9 a.m. at Soulfully Good Café.
