Montpelier Approves $902,676 Water Infrastructure Upgrade

Location: Montpelier

From the Montpelier Board of Works and Safety meeting on April 15, 2026

The Montpelier Board of Works and Safety voted unanimously on April 15 to move forward with a major water infrastructure upgrade totaling $902,676. The project has two parts: replacing a leaking water filter at the water plant ($580,420) and installing new smart water meters citywide ($322,256).

The city has applied for a $750,000 OCRA (Office of Community and Rural Affairs) grant to offset the cost. If awarded, the city's share would be approximately $158,458. Board members Gary Kaggel and Gary Blumenhurst approved the engineer-recommended bids from Utility Supply unanimously.

The new meters are cellular and radio-transmitting units that feed data to a central collector and software system. Meter readers would no longer need to drive routes for billing reads. Residents will eventually be able to monitor their own water usage through an app or online portal. The system also gives the utility tools for detecting leaks and usage anomalies. Water Superintendent Chase Perry noted the city is already replacing approximately 30 older meters that have exceeded one million gallons and lost accuracy.

The OCRA grant has not yet been awarded. If approved, the upgrade would modernize Montpelier's water system while keeping the city's out-of-pocket cost under $160,000.

Source: Montpelier Board of Works & Safety meeting video, 4/15/26 (YouTube)