Waterville Valley Select Board Reviews Wastewater Project Communications Strategy
The Waterville Valley Select Board held a special meeting to discuss the public relations contract with Lewis Carnot and Company for the wastewater treatment facility upgrade project. The firm outlined past efforts and future plans to build community support and transparency ahead of the March 2026 town meeting vote.
Representatives from Lewis Carnot and Company presented a summary of their work, including a strategic communications plan developed in collaboration with town officials. This involved identifying key stakeholders, crafting messages, and creating a timeline for outreach. The firm conducted confidential group interviews with about a dozen opinion leaders, including longtime residents, business owners, and condo association leaders, to gauge attitudes, concerns, and sources of information. These sessions helped refine messaging and identify potential advocates while addressing misinformation (link).
Based on the input, the firm developed key talking points and a FAQ emphasizing the EPA-mandated upgrade as a necessary investment in infrastructure, water quality, and environmental standards. They highlighted efforts to minimize costs and framed the project as essential for the town’s long-term growth. Design templates, discussion guides, and training materials were provided to support town discussions (link).
A major focus was the development of a new project-specific website to serve as the central hub for updates, replacing the previous site. Built on Squarespace for security, ease of use, and ADA compliance, the site will include a project overview, timeline, budget details, documents, FAQs, weekly updates, visuals, maps, newsletter sign-ups, and a feedback form. The firm plans to launch it soon, incorporating best practices from similar projects, and will assist with maintenance and content updates (link).
The board discussed the project’s escalating costs, noting estimates have risen from $42 million to over $100 million, prompting community concerns. They emphasized the need for timely information to explain the increases and build understanding. A public hearing is planned for early December, pending receipt of the 30% design report from Black & Veatch (expected in early November) and financial impact analysis from PFM (mid-November). This will allow time to populate the website and prepare materials (link).
Given the significant cost increase from $42 million to over $100 million, residents may want to ask:
- What specific factors contributed to the cost escalation, such as design changes, material prices, or regulatory requirements?
- Are there detailed cost breakdowns available, including comparisons between initial estimates and current projections?
- What alternatives were considered to reduce costs, and why were they not pursued?
- What will be the projected impact on property taxes and utility rates for residents?
- How will funding be secured, including potential grants, loans, or other sources?
- What is the timeline for the project, and what contingencies are in place for further delays or cost overruns?
The website prototype was reviewed, featuring sections like FAQs, project details, and mobile optimization. The firm will incorporate feedback, add photos, and finalize sections. Maintenance could involve town staff or the firm, with features for hosting large documents like permits and engineering reports (link).
Financial matters included approval of the third-quarter water, sewer, and trash warrant. Inserts for the bills were discussed: one notifying customers about lead service line inventory requirements under federal regulations, and another from the Conservation Commission promoting salt conservation to protect local waters (link).
The meeting highlighted the project’s importance for environmental compliance and the town’s future, with a focus on transparency and community engagement to secure approval at the upcoming town meeting.