LONDONDERRY, Vt. – The Town of Londonderry Village Wastewater Committee (VWC) will host an open house for residents and business owners to discuss and learn about plans for wastewater solutions in the north and south villages. The open house will take place on Saturday, June 10, from 8:30 – 10 a.m., at the Town Office, 100 Old School Road, South Londonderry, Vt.
The open house provides an opportunity to ask questions, review the progress of the project, and hear about the benefits of the village wastewater project. Members of the VWC, selectboard, and Windham Regional Commission will host the open house. Christina Haskins of Dufresne Engineering will be available to provide information on the decentralized, wastewater solutions being planned for Londonderry.
For rural towns like Londonderry, wastewater infrastructure is critical to support the health of homeowners, vitality of business, and adaptive use of buildings and properties. Wastewater infrastructure is needed to rehabilitate existing housing or create new housing that is affordable for the workforce, the people who provide critical services like healthcare, schools, and maintaining the vitality of Londonderry’s commercial center.
Londonderry Housing Committee Chair Patty Eisenhaur is closely following the village wastewater project, with the hopes to expand opportunities for affordable, local housing. “Wastewater infrastructure is key to meeting our housing needs over the long term by enabling housing to be produced at a price point that is attainable for local workers, empty nesters, and seniors looking to downsize. When asked about strategies to address housing needs, a majority of respondents to the community housing survey indicated that investment in infrastructure to support housing development was a top supported strategy. This is a tremendous opportunity that has been granted to Londonderry and should be prioritized.”
Londonderry Selectboard Chair Tom Cavanagh stressed the importance of this opportunity in stating, “With these monies, Londonderry will be able to work with residents and business owners to move to decentralized, modern systems, and avoid high costs of replacing older septic systems that are contaminating our streams, rivers, and ultimately reaching our groundwater and water sources.”
Londonderry received $7.9 million from the nearly $30 million awarded to Vermont from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, appropriated for village water and wastewater initiatives across the state. The grant funding is designed to bridge the wastewater system affordability gap, protect public health, increase affordable housing, support economic development, and incentivize compact growth in Vermont’s designated villages and neighborhoods.
Information on the village wastewater project and the work of the VWC can be found at www.windhamregional.org/londonderry-wastewater.