Killington voters will be asked to pass bond bringing municipal water through town

By Polly Mikula

Killington voters will be asked to pass a $11.2 million bond for the final segments of the planned municipal water system, contracts 5-7, at Town Meeting Day, March 4. 

This bond, Article 4 on the ballot, must pass for the town to complete the municipal water system down Killington Road to service the majority of the town’s commercial district, providing clean, reliable water and fire protection. 

While the bond says “not to exceed $11,200,00” the town expects about half that figure to be covered by grants with only an estimated $5.5 million taken as a 40-year, 0% interest loan provided by the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, according to Abbie Sherman, public works director for the town of Killington. 

The loan repayment will not be paid for by taxpayers but by users of the new municipal water system. Those within 200 feet of the
waterline will be required to have ERUs that will pay off the debt. Sherman estimates that the monthly cost per user will be about $12 as a base rate per ERU. Users will be metered.  Those exceeding the base allotment will pay for additional capacity.

“The most important thing for voters to know is that this cost is not hitting your tax bill,” said Sherman. “Only users will be paying for it.”

While users won’t be required to join, Sherman expects most or all will as they’ll be paying for it anyway and the system will guarantee clean reliable water rather than the hassles of maintaining a separate system with all the required state testing that many currently pay for. 

“It’ll be easier and much more cost-effective for [users], particularly over time and as state and federal requirements change,” she said.

“We’ve already heard from many business owners that are eagerly awaiting this change,” interim Town Manager Tom Yennerell added.

PFOAs and other contaminants have plagued many businesses along Killington Road requiring many to build extensive private water filtration systems to attempt to stay under maximum contaminant levels. Despite these investments, however, many systems will no longer be effective as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) further decreased that maximum to 4.0 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, according to an EPA memo dated April 10, 2024. “This standard will reduce exposure from PFAS in our drinking water to the lowest levels that are feasible for effective implementation,” memo noted. 

Municipal water system progress, future timeline

“The total cost of the Killington town water system is $43.2 million; $32 million of the construction costs have secured funding,” Sherman wrote in a power point presentation. Adding, “The town has qualified for $23.8 million in grants and other forms of aid to date.”

The portion of the water system that serves the proposed Killington Village at the base of Snowshed and Ramshead base areas, will be funded by tax increment financing (TIF), with the portion down the Killington Road — the $11.2 million bond — financed through other grants and loans that will be paid off by water users. 

Thus far, Contracts 1-4 are already underway with 1-3A scheduled to be completed by this September. (Contract 1-3A runs from the valley wells behind the Mountain Times, to the pump station on “The Flats” of Route 4, up to the water storage tanks on Shagback Mountain above East Mountain Road and back down to East Mountain Road where it will connect with Contract 4 and continue down Killington Road.

Contract 4 (from the intersection with East Mountain Road through the proposed Killington Village and down to Ravine Road) has recently been awarded. Construction will begin in the spring. The first connection of users to Killington’s new municipal water system will be in this portion and is expected at the end of 2026. 

Contracts 5 will continue the line north on Killington Road from Ravine Road to Dean Hill Road. 

Contract 6A continues from Dean Hill Road to Anthony Way, where it meets up with the dry lines to Route 4, that were already installed as part of 6B.

Contract 7 connects the base of Killington Road on Route 4 west past the Post Office (before the Sherburne Pass hill begins).

If Article 4 passes on Town Meeting Day, bids for Contracts 5, 6A and 7 are expected to be solicited this spring and contracts awarded this summer. 

According to Sherman, if all goes according to plan, the full buildout of the town’s municipal water system is projected to be completed in 2027.