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Johnson board hears options after flood-damaged wastewater plant estimated at $14–30M
Summary
Village presenters told the select board the July 2023 flood inundated the wastewater plant and control building; options range from repairing the existing site (~$14–15M) to relocating uphill (potentially up to ~$30M) if grant and FEMA stacks allow. The board signaled openness to pursue funding but asked for follow-up on buyout impacts and site constraints.
Village representatives presented damage and options for Johnson’s wastewater treatment plant after it was inundated in July 2023. The presenters said tanks and the control building were flooded and estimated roughly $14–15 million to bring the current facility back to code. ‘‘The control building was inundated to the upper floor and the concrete block construction doesn’t meet current codes,’’ the presenter said, adding that rebuilding in place would require major structural work and mitigation.
Board members asked whether moving the plant uphill made technical sense despite higher costs. The presenter said a full relocation could double the price—bringing total estimated project costs toward $30 million—but could place critical infrastructure above predicted flood levels. ‘‘If it keeps getting flooded, maybe you don’t need to be there,’’ the presenter said, and noted that moving the site would require new piping, land and potential demolition and flood‑plain benching work.
Discussion focused on funding stacks the village could pursue: CDBG recovery money, FEMA HMGP flood‑mitigation funds, and a regional block grant the presenter estimated at roughly $63 million for priority projects (with a portion targeted to Lamoille/Washington counties). Board members asked staff to check whether subdividing or transferring a parcel would interfere with buyout eligibility for adjacent properties; staff said LCPC would be asked to confirm.
The board did not take a formal vote on relocation but signaled it was ‘‘open to concepts’’ if state and federal funding could remove local tax impacts. Staff committed to follow up with engineering slope analyses, clearer cost estimates and the legal/planning implications of any parcel subdivision.
