Water System

V.S.A. tit. 24 Appendix, ch. 111, subch. 4

in effect

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 111, § 401 Adoption of rules and regulations

401. Adoption of rules and regulations The Selectboard, under the vote and direction of said Town, may make and adopt such rules and regulations concerning the management and use of the water system of said Town, reservoirs, lands, and appurtenances, not inconsistent with law, as it may deem expedient, including the fixing and collecting of water rates.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 111, § 402 Water rents

402. Water rents All water rents with the charges for making water connections and piping shall be chargeable to and may be collected of the owners of property supplied with the same, and such owners and all such rents with charges for making water connections and piping shall be a lien and charge upon the buildings, lots, and other property so supplied and may be collected in the same manner as any tax assessed by said corporation.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 111, § 403 Taking of water and land for water system

403. Taking of water and land for water system Said Town is hereby authorized and empowered under any vote hereafter had for that purpose, through the Selectboard, to take, in addition to the water rights and appurtenances thereof, already owned or acquired by said Town, the waters of any fountains, springs, ponds, or streams for the purpose of affording said Town or any of the inhabitants of the Town of Chester a supply of water for fire, domestic, and other purposes, and may acquire the same by purchase or by right of eminent domain, and in like manner may take and hold such real estate as may be necessary for preventing the pollution of the water supply of said Town water system, provided that said Town shall not take water nor a supply thereof, so as to deprive an owner of water of an amount sufficient for his or her domestic and agricultural uses, without such owner’s consent.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 111, § 404 Aqueduct and reservoir; laying of pipes

404. Aqueduct and reservoir; laying of pipes The said Town is hereby authorized and empowered through its Selectboard to maintain its present aqueduct and reservoir to conduct the water thereof to and distribute the same and for this purpose may enter upon and use any land through or over which it may be necessary for said aqueduct to pass, and may thereon lay and construct such pipes, reservoirs, and appurtenances as may be necessary for its complete construction and repairing of the same; and may also for the purposes aforesaid, dig up or occupy any common, highway, street, or bridge for the purpose of laying, constructing, or repairing such aqueduct and appurtenances thereof.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 111, § 405 Petition to contest compensation for taking or use of land

405. Petition to contest compensation for taking or use of land When any person shall be dissatisfied with the award of the Selectboard as made in any of the cases mentioned in the two preceding sections, or if a person disputes the necessity of taking of any lands or streams for the purposes mentioned in said sections, such person may petition the Windsor County Court for an inquiry into such necessity or a reassessment and award of damages, and such proceedings shall be had in said court on said petition as are provided by law in the case of an appeal from the action of Selectboard in taking lands for highway purposes. Said petition shall be served on the Clerk within 30 days next after said award shall be filed in the Town Clerk’s office as aforesaid, and at least 12 days before the term of court to which it is returnable, but nothing in said proceedings shall prevent the Selectboard from entering upon such land and using said water after the award shall have been made as herein set forth, and the amount thereof tendered by them, if the petition mentioned in this section is for a reassessment and award of damages only.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 111, § 406 Providing water to Chester and other municipalities

406. Providing water to Chester and other municipalities Said Town may sell and furnish water to any person or corporation for domestic or other purposes, except power for manufacturing and mechanical purposes, within or without said Town and lay all pipes necessary to furnish water to all such persons.

24 App. V.S.A. ch. 111, § 407 Malicious damage to water system

407. Malicious damage to water system Any person who shall maliciously disturb or injure said aqueduct, reservoir, springs, streams, or fountains, named or referred to in this charter, or swim or bathe in the waters of said reservoir, springs, streams, or fountains supplying such reservoir, shall be liable to be prosecuted therefor by the Grand Juror of the Town or the State’s Attorney of the county wherein such offense is committed by information, complaint, or indictment, and on conviction thereof shall be fined not less than $5.00 nor more than $100.00 and costs of prosecution and shall be liable, to said Town for all damage resulting to it by such disturbance-injury or pollution with full costs, the same to be recovered by said Town in an action on the case founded on this statute.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/24APPENDIX/111Fetched: 10/21/2026