Village wastewater study & costs
The Town is conducting a Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) / village wastewater feasibility study for options in the village / proposed service area. This is not a voted construction project — study ≠ build.
Per the town FAQ, the Selectboard started the work amid state law allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on smaller parcels (densification / wastewater demand) plus availability of a forgivable DEC planning loan. The FAQ states there were no specific known septic issues in the village that prompted the study. Public outreach is planned around the ~30% / 60% / 90% stages; options are later presented for public and voter consideration.
Build — Scenario A (no grant / forgiveness)
~$5,611 / ERU / year ≈ $468/mo · ~6.2% of town MHI · capital ~$9.2M · 83 ERUs
Preferred alternative in the 90% PER: Alternative 1 — gravity collection piping toward a Troy connection. Capital ≈ $9,211,032; annual O&M ≈ $54,400. Under the PER design, user charges would be by ERU in the service area (83 total ERUs ≈ 59 residential + 24 non-residential) — not a town-wide mill-rate tax — unless voters later put debt on the general fund.
PER Table 6 (Alt 1, 30-yr 2% CWSRF) prices Scenario A (0% grant) at $5,611 / ERU / year (≈ $468/mo). Town MHI $90,625; Scenario A ≈ 6.2% of MHI. The report says this is not considered affordable and that roughly 80–90% grant and/or principal forgiveness would likely be needed. Other Table 6 rows: B 50% → $3,133/yr; C 80% → $1,646/yr; D 90% → $1,150/yr. Planning-level figures from the 90% draft — label as such.
Do not read Scenario A as a bill for every parcel in town: only ERUs in the proposed service area under the PER model, and only if construction is later approved and financed that way.
Study — $125k forgivable planning loan
Taxpayer cost: $0 CWSRF RF1-386-1.0 · $125,000 · awarded 2025-04-21 · forgivable
Town FAQ: study costs taxpayers $0 if the loan is forgiven as planned. Do not use an “$180k study grant” figure — the documented amount is $125k.
Counterfactual only (not a bill anyone owes): if the $125k were not forgiven and raised once on the ~$75.8M grand list, a $200k listed homestead is about $330 one-time. That is not a per-citizen charge. Optional secondary scale: $125k ÷ 534 residents ≈ $234/person — still only a way to size the same counterfactual pile, not how municipal taxes work.
Official hub: westfield.vt.gov/village-wastewater-study and the town FAQ PDF.