New water district closer for Town of Champlain

CHAMPLAIN With a $415,000 boost in state funding, the Champlain Town Council is near creating a new water district that would serve a section of Route 11 and environs, along with East Service Road and West Service Roads.

Wednesday is the last day a petition with signatures from 5 percent of district residents can be turned in that would force a public referendum on the measure, otherwise it will go to the council for approval.

We felt there is a great need for this, Town Supervisor Larry Barcomb said.

Weve had people call here, and they want to come to Champlain for industry or a commercial venture or whatever, and one of the first things they ask is if we have water.

The town has surveyed property owners there, too, and found many favor water and wastewater service. Now, wells and individual septic systems serve homes and businesses there.

YEARLY COST

The project cost is estimated at $13,420,000, with, according to recent figures, the town paying 75 percent and the Village of Champlain contributing 25 percent.

Estimated yearly cost per equivalent dwelling unit (water usage for a single-family home) is estimated at $816, said Matt Cooper, a principal with Bernier & Carr Associates, designer of the project.

That would include debt service, he said.

All property owners in the district would be required to pay debt service whether they hook up or not, he noted, with parcels not using water assessed as a half-dwelling unit each, according to early calculations.

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New water district closer for Town of Champlain