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Bicknell compiles 20-year water-infrastructure priority list for state funding
Summary
Council members assembled and ranked a 20-year unified water-infrastructure project list required by the state, prioritizing spring-line and swamp crossings, pond-to-pump irrigation lines, HDPE main extensions, valve and meter replacements, and a stormwater project.
Bicknell Town Council members spent a substantial portion of their May 1 meeting compiling and prioritizing projects for the state’s 20-year unified water-infrastructure plan, a requirement for eligibility for state funding.
Council members identified a set of projects to submit and discussed how to scope and cost them: (1) breaker of spring line under the swamp, (2) irrigation line from the pond to the pump, (3) replace the mountain spring line with HDPE, (4) extend the current HDPE line to town, (5) redevelop springs, (6) replace culinary valves, (7) replace secondary lines and valves, (8) upgrade culinary water meters, (9) a stormwater project, and (10) an irrigation meter project. Members agreed to ask engineers for cost estimates and to rank projects for the state submission.
The council discussed practical considerations: the state requires cost estimates and a ranked list; engineers will need to prepare estimates (a cost to the town). Members debated sequencing—some advocated replacing swamp-crossing components first while others prioritized pond-to-pump and extending HDPE to town. One member noted the exercise is “kind of a wish list” but emphasized that projects not listed will not be eligible for state funding.
Members also discussed meter and filtration concerns for irrigation meters (screening and clogging) and replacements for aging PVC main lines. The council agreed there is no downside to listing projects, but that preparing defensible cost estimates will require engineering help and expenditure.
Next steps: council will request cost estimates from engineers, finalize rankings, and submit the prioritized list to the state to preserve eligibility for water-infrastructure funding over the coming 20 years.
