Milton council to move forward with water referendum

October 17, 2023 9

Milton Town Council is planning to move forward to borrow more than $6 million in state funds for three water infrastructure projects.

To get there, council must have a public hearing, then set a referendum. The likely timeline is to set a public hearing in November, hold the hearing in December, then set a referendum for early 2024.

At council’s Oct. 9 meeting, council unanimously agreed to move forward with all three projects: a proposed 500,000-gallon elevated water tower at town-owned land on Federal Street next to the Rails to Trails; a water main replacement at Carey, Walnut, Magnolia, Reed and Mill streets; and improvements to the Chandler Street water treatment facility. While council did not take a vote on how the projects will be presented at referendum, the consensus seems to be to list them as three separate projects.

Terms of all three loans are for 20 years at a 2% interest rate, with interest-only payments during construction followed by repayment of principal and interest after construction is finished.

The biggest of the projects is the water tower, pegged at $3.8 million, which town officials say will provide additional storage to meet daily demand, serve as backup for the town’s other two towers and prepare for future growth.

The town purchased the four acres of land on Federal Street in 2019 with the intention of using it for future water infrastructure projects. The first of those projects, a new well, is already out for bid, with additional plans for a new water treatment facility at the site. A water tower was also envisioned.

The second loan was for $1.78 million to do a water main replacement project that would replace 3,900 linear feet of existing mains underneath Carey, Walnut, Magnolia, Reed and Mill streets. The project would include replacing valves, abandoning the existing main and repaving the roadway. At Walnut and Mill streets, the town would upgrade to an 8-inch main, while at Carey Street, the upgrade would be from a 2-inch main to a 6-inch main.

Lastly, the town was authorized for a $579,000 state loan for improvements to the Chandler Street water treatment facility. The project would include upgrading the plant’s electric system, generator, chemical feeds and testing equipment, and leveling the concrete floor. This project has been in the works for years; it was first discussed in 2019 with plans to do it in 2020, but the town held off until a similar water treatment plant was built at Shipbuilder’s Village, as town officials wanted to use the same specs on Chandler Street.