Waterville Valley approves up-to‑$75.2 million bond authorization for new wastewater plant after hours of debate

Waterville Valley voters on Tuesday authorized the select board to bond up to $75,200,000 to build a new wastewater collection and treatment system, after a multi‑hour presentation by town staff and consultants and extended public comment.

The measure, Article 3 on the warrant, was moved by Select Board Chair Rich Rita and seconded from the floor. In a statement to the meeting, Rita said the existing plant “no longer can meet its federal discharge permit year round” and that “no amount of renovation or repair will change that fact,” making a new facility necessary. Municipal utilities director Dylan Tucker told residents the town’s discharge limits are among the strictest in the state because the Mad River is classified as an outstanding resource water and the plant sits within White Mountain National Forest oversight.

Finance and staff presentations laid out a current “all‑in” estimate of roughly $117 million by 2031 for the recommended design, broken into major components including construction, engineering and a potential sewer line to the ski resort. Interim town manager Steve Royer described the $75.2 million authorization as a ceiling — not an immediate borrowing of the entire sum — and said the town will pursue value engineering, loan forgiveness and grant opportunities before issuing debt.

Concerns at the microphone centered on affordability and legal obligations tied to a ski‑area pipeline. Resident Warren Fitzgerald and others urged cutting the requested ceiling and questioned whether a 1986 agreement requires the town to build or fund a line to the resort; town counsel James Steinkraus said the original June 3, 1986 agreement could not be located in recorded deeds and that a December 1986 follow‑on agreement contains provisions that the town has continued to honor, leaving some legal ambiguity.

Several residents pointed to the risk of federal civil penalties if the town fails to meet permit milestones. Counsel Steinkraus told the meeting the updated civil penalty under the Clean Water Act can reach about $68,000 per day, noting that an administrative order on consent (AOC) with EPA — which the town seeks — can protect the community from fines while providing an enforced schedule to reach compliance.

Licensed engineer Amy Dill told the meeting she supported the technical approach but could not vote for the full bond authorization, saying she believed the project as proposed and priced was “too large.” Other residents, including contractors with long experience in New England plants, argued the town needed to authorize the project now to secure funding and an AOC.

An amendment introduced by Stan Pecos that would have cut the requested authorization to $25 million was debated and then failed on a show‑of‑cards vote. The main article then proceeded to a secret‑ballot vote. When ballots were counted later in the evening, the moderator announced Article 3 had passed by the three‑fifths threshold required for bond questions (Yes 107, No 28). The authorization allows the select board to seek financing and to continue engineering and regulatory steps necessary to obtain an AOC; the board said it intends to minimize borrowing to what is necessary and to return to seek any required approvals for specific contracts and expenditures.

What happens next: town staff and the select board plan additional public meetings on financing options, value‑engineering results from Black & Veatch, and any legal steps tied to the resort pipeline question. The authorization does not commit the town to immediately borrow the full ceiling; any borrowing, final design, permits or contracts will be done through the appropriate statutory processes and with further public notice.