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Richmond commission recommends select board accept $1.9M DWSRF loan with 50% forgiveness for waterline project
Summary
The commission voted July 21 to recommend that the Selectboard accept a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund loan of up to $1.9 million — with up to 50% forgiveness — to replace water mains on Tilden Avenue, Bridge Street and Cochran Road. Commissioners also discussed required easements from 22 properties and paving coordination.
The Town of Richmond Water and Sewer Commission on July 21 recommended that the Selectboard accept a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan of up to $1,900,000 for the Tilden Avenue, Bridge Street and Cochran Road waterline replacement project, a loan the commission was told includes up to 50% forgiveness.
The recommendation came after staff summarized a recent outreach meeting and noted that the state requires clear easements for hydrants and curb stops as a condition of funding. "We need to do a little bit more direct outreach," a commission member said, describing plans to follow up with door‑to‑door visits and marked property locations to show owners exactly where easements will lie.
Why it matters: the project targets aging water infrastructure in narrow right‑of‑way sections where existing roads and service lines complicate installation, and state loan approval hinges on properly documented easements. Commission members raised practical issues — survey accuracy, existing buried infrastructure, and whether developers will request larger service stubs — and asked staff to coordinate with the town highway schedule so trench paving and final repaving align.
On the motion to recommend the loan, commissioners voted in favor. During the roll call the chair recorded "Bart, aye; David, aye; Shane, aye; Morgan, aye," and the motion passed.
Commissioners and staff also discussed timing and paving: trench paving is expected to be completed immediately after construction, with broader repaving on some streets (Bridal Street and Cochran Road) planned in the spring following construction to allow for winter settling. Staff said they will continue coordinating the easement acquisitions, loop in the town engineer and monitor scheduling so the project remains ready to proceed when funding and easements are secured.
The commission did not set a construction start date; staff estimated planning and easement work would continue through the fall with potential construction in late 2026 or in spring 2027 depending on coordination with the highway plan.
