Burlington outlines $152 million lake (wastewater/stormwater) and $20 million drinking-water bonds; rate increases cited

Megan Moore, director of the Water Resources Division, presented the city’s water-related bond proposals on March 4, describing a staged approach that reduces the initial ask from earlier, larger proposals and focuses on near-term priorities for wastewater, stormwater and drinking water.

Moore described the lake bond, a $152,000,000 authorization for wastewater and stormwater improvements, and a separate $20,000,000 drinking-water bond. "By simply replacing our existing systems, we're certainly making sure that we're not backsliding on our protection of the lake," Moore said, adding that the lake bond includes about $30,000,000 for tertiary phosphorus removal designed to help Burlington meet the Lake Champlain total maximum daily load (TMDL) standard.

Moore said prior…