Overview and Background:
Much of Bristol’s water distribution system was installed in or around 1905 almost 120 years ago. Those parts of the water system have exceeded their life expectancy, resulting in extremely high water losses each year. This results in increased operational costs, expensive emergency repairs, service interruptions, reduction in fire flows, as well as an increased risk of contamination. The emergency repairs have the additional impact of leaving a patchwork of pavement along village streets.
The Town places safe and affordable drinking water as one of the highest priorities for our community. The Selectboard, in its capacity as the Water Commission, hired Green Mountain Engineering (GME) in 2021 to conduct a study of Bristol’s entire water distribution system. The study identified replacing the nearly 30,000 feet of 1905 waterline as a high priority. Needless to say, this is a very large and costly undertaking for a small community such as Bristol.
The Bristol Water Commission evaluated several approaches and ultimately decided to break the larger project into the following four distinct phases:
- Phase 1 – Pine Street
- Phase 2 – Bristol West (includes some or all of Munsill, Maple, Pleasant, Church, Elm, Taylor, West, Park, and School Streets)
- Phase 3 – Bristol East (includes some or all of Mountain, Fitch, East, North, Main Streets and Pumphouse Road)
- Phase 4 – Rockydale (includes a cross-country line from the water tower to East Street as well as a cross-country line from the water tower to Rockydale (east side of town).
Pine Street Waterline Replacement Project (Phase 1)
After more than a decade of being talked about, the circa 1905 water line under Pine Street was finally replaced from mid-August to mid-November, 2023.
Green Mountain Engineering, Bristol’s long-time engineering provider who delivered the preliminary engineering report (PER) on this project in 2021, closed its doors in February 2022. Steve Palmer, P.E., and his team at VTM Engineering brought the final design, permits, and bid documents across the finish line. Munson Earth-Moving was selected from among seven bidders.
With the exception of a few underground surprises, the project went surprisingly smoothly and was completed under budget and ahead of schedule. Weekly project meetings were held at the Town Office. Town Engineer Steve Palmer (VTM Engineering) and Water Operator Jill Marsano (VTUMS) provided a great deal of essential oversight, guidance, and coordination throughout the project.
Another surprise was finding that a legal agreement from 2014 required the water line serving Lawson Lane residents from Liberty Street had not been installed in accordance with their state permits and was required to be connected to the new Pine Street water main. Through private negotiations facilitated by the Town, Steve, and Jill, Munson installed the new water connections for the Lawson Lane area residents. Munson will return in the spring to complete the final punch list items and yard restorations.
Before Pine Street (finally) gets paved in 2024, we are exploring the installation of dry wells and other infrastructure to improve stormwater drainage in that area.
Bristol West Waterline Project (Phase 2)
Phase 2 (Bristol West) is currently in the final design and review stages. Once the design is approved and complete, the Town will work with the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of Vermont to fund the project. Our goal is to obtain 50% of the funds necessary to complete the project through programs administered by the State and Federal governments. However, we will still need to pass a bond to finance the project. If project financing is approved, our current schedule anticipates constructing Phase 2 over two consecutive construction seasons beginning in 2026.
The Engineers Opinion of Probable Cost for the Bristol West project construction is $2,966,540.00. It includes a 7% contingency. Field work, including soil borings, is scheduled for the first week in October.
The Total Engineers Opinion of Probable Project Costs for the entire project, including construction, design and permitting, legal services, construction engineering services, and administration is $3,589,190.00. This equates to roughly $380/ft.
The Bristol West project will have additional cost items we did not have with the Pine Street project, such as sidewalks, curbs, trees, etc. Also, some areas within the Bristol West project require larger (more expensive) 12″ water line rather than the 8″ waterline used on Pine Street. The costs also factor in two to three years of additional inflation on materials and salaries.
Updates
Contact Information
Valerie Capels, Town Administrator
Town of Bristol
1 South Street
P.O. Box 249
Bristol, VT 05443
P: (802) 453-2410 Ext. 1
townadmin@bristolvt.org