HATFIELD — Hatfield voters on Tuesday approved the second phase of a multiyear effort to upgrade the town’s water lines.
The Proposition 2½ debt exclusion override passed with nearly 62 percent of the vote, with 148 residents casting “yes” ballots and 91 in the “no” column, Town Clerk Lydia Szych said. About 9 percent of the town’s registered voters cast ballots.
Now the town is authorized to raise the $740,000 necessary to install a new line from Chestnut Street to Gore Avenue, a property tax increase of $45 per year on a $300,000 home.
The first phase of the multiyear project started in 2011 and 2012 using town appropriations and state money to install new piping from the reservoir down Rocks Road to West Street, under Interstate 91 and nearby railroad tracks.
This project will allow crews to replace outdated piping made of concrete material that runs under the Mill River and surrounding wetlands.
Eventually, said Director of Public Works Phil Genovese, the town will need to replace the water line from Gore Avenue to the center of town.
Last week, he characterized the effort as “the most important project that I think they (voters) could pass right now.”
The problem, Genovese said, is the outdated lines running under the river are exposed, posing a threat to the line.
“It’s supposed to be under it but right now you can see it,” Genovese said last week of the line and the river.
The line approved Tuesday, to be made of 16-inch ductile iron tubing, will pipe water over the Mill River via suspension bridge.
Genovese said last week the project would be put to bid soon after approval, with all necessary permits taken care of. He expected construction to take a year.
Jack Suntrup can be reached at jsuntrup@gazettenet.com.