On November 6, 2024
Local News

Woodstock voters approve acquisition of water company

 By Katy Savage 

Woodstock residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of acquiring the Woodstock Aqueduct Company on Tuesday, Oct. 30. The private utility, which dates back to the 1800s, will become a public utility for the first time.

Residents voted 382-103 from the floor to acquire the company for $920,000, about half of which was offset by grants. The measure specifically asked residents to use $457,000 of the undesignated fund balance to purchase the aqueduct company and all of its assets. 

“It was an overwhelming turnout,” Town Manager Eric Duffy said.

The vote on Tuesday was just Step 1. There will be a second special meeting on Dec. 10, where residents will be asked to acquire a 352-acre property and the Vondell Reservoir in West Woodstock for $7.5 million.

Duffy stressed to residents at a September meeting that the water system will also need upgrades, which could be costly down the line, and water rates and taxes will increase to help offset future costs. A preliminary engineering report from Otter Creek Engineering in October 2023 suggested the town replace an 8-inch pipe with a 12-inch pipe from Cox District Road to the Woodstock Rec Center for about $4.3 million and replace a water tank on Route 12 for about $4.8 million. A $700,000 repair to the water pipe on the Elm Street bridge is another necessity. 

The town vote comes after about a year of discussions about what to do with the 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 say 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.

Additionally, water pressure from the town’s fire hydrants doesn’t meet state regulations.

Some residents at the September meeting were concerned about the water system’s future costs. Others questioned whether 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 in September. 

“The Select Board feels we need to own the water company for the future of Woodstock,” he added.

Do you want to submit feedback to the editor?

Send Us An Email!

Related Posts

Killington receives positive snow control for Audi FIS Ski World Cup race Nov. 30-Dec. 1

November 21, 2024
KILLINGTON—Killington Resort received a positive snow control announcement from FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation), the governing body of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup. With this announcement, Killington Resort can assure international race teams and ski racing fans traveling to central Vermont for Thanksgiving weekend that both the giant slalom and slalom races will…

Killington community donated winter wears at Mission Farm coat drive

November 20, 2024
BROC Community Action was the beneficiary of the Mission Farm Veteran’s Day coat drive event in Killington. BROC received a significant donation of new and lightly used winter coats from the coat drive. These coats are essential to keeping area friends and neighbors warm during the cold winter months. If anyone is looking to contribute,…

One dead, two arrested in Rutland shooting

November 20, 2024
By Alan J. Keays / VTDigger Two Massachusetts men pleaded not guilty Monday afternoon, Nov. 18, to charges in the killing of a Rutland man. The prosecutor said the Friday night shooting was drug-related, and the two suspects may have been targeting someone else. Dylin Wainscott, 28, of Westfield, Massachusetts, faces charges of first-degree murder,…

Mountain Top Resort’s cross-country ski routes caught up in legal dispute

November 20, 2024
By Greta Solsaa/VTDigger Generations of cross-country skiers have flocked to Chittenden’s Mountain Top Resort to spend wintry days gliding along bucolic, snow-capped paths nestled in the shadow of Killington. As the popular cross-country skiing destination celebrates its 60th year in business, Mountain Top finds itself locked in a legal battle with its neighbors, John and…