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Council asks for studies on water, sewer and stormwater as data-center growth raises capacity questions
Summary
Councilors asked staff to collect studies and fiscal-impact data on water, sewer and stormwater capacity, citing reservoir limits and potential strain from data-center growth; broadband, natural gas and power undergrounding were also debated as infrastructure priorities.
Council members repeatedly raised infrastructure as a long-term town priority and asked staff to assemble studies and fiscal-impact analyses before formal budget commitments. They flagged a town reservoir that is rain-fed and subject to drought, asked whether current supply can sustain projected growth tied to nearby data centers, and requested an updated assessment of water capacity and stormwater-management needs.
Staff and councilors discussed the need for a strategic stormwater plan and potential FEMA flood-management enrollment. Members noted some utility benefits — a nearby natural-gas pipeline and existing industrial-park railway access — but said many infrastructure improvements will require intergovernmental coordination and external funding.
The council also addressed broadband — reporting that Comcast is not planning fiber upgrades and that Firefly’s contracts limit where it may build — and debated whether undergrounding overhead power/comms lines is feasible given cost and utility coordination. Several members recommended adding water/sewer capacity, pump-station replacements and wastewater-plant demolition/rebuild work to the CIP and asked for clear cost estimates and grant-seeking strategies.
