Farmington Referendum on $57 Million Water Pollution Facility Upgrade on Ballot

Farmington voters will have the option to vote on a proposed $57 million upgrade to the water Pollution Control Facility this coming Election Day.

The $57 million proposal is being put to referendum on Election Day. A $12 million state grant plus contributions from Avon, Burlington, Canton and Uconn Health are expected to reduce the cost to about $32 million for Farmington taxpayers, according to information provided by the town.

The tax impact is estimated to be $133 a year based on the average residential assessment of $232,074 and the cost will decrease by about $6 a year over the course of 20 years.

There have been a series of informational meetings about the proposed upgrade to the facility, which was last upgraded more than 20 years ago and was originally built in the 1960’s.

The current plant is nearing processing capacity and doesn’t meet the nitrogen and phosphorus removal requirements set by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

About 5 million gallons of water are treated each day. The new upgrade is projected to meet the needs of the community for the next 25 years and will also reduce odors from the facility.

If the project doesn’t pass referendum it is possible the state could mandate the town take action to upgrade the facility, which would mean the town could lose out on the state grant, according to the town’s website.

Additional information:

Brochure

Overview of proposed upgrades.

Link to full listing of Farmington ballots.

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