UVM Collaborates with Burlington and South Burlington to Improve Stormwater Treatment

Contact:            Lisa Kingsbury                                                                               For Immediate Release

                         Lisa.Kingsbury@uvm.edu                                                                  Date: Sept 21, 2026

University of Vermont & the Cities of Burlington and South Burlington Collaborate to Improve Stormwater Treatment in the Jughandle area of Main Street/Williston Road

The University of Vermont, together with the Cities of Burlington and South Burlington, have jointly collaborated to complete the improvements to the UVM-owned Main Street stormwater facility, located near the Doubletree Hotel.  

The constructed improvements involved retrofitting and expanding the existing Main Street Wet Pond (an older, less effective Tier III practice) to a Tier II gravel wetland. The upgraded facility reduces total suspended solids and phosphorus from entering Centennial Brook. 

The project also included modifications to the existing stormwater collection system to redirect untreated stormwater to the facility.  Prior to construction, the existing pond treated runoff from an existing 25.7 (+/-) acre watershed.  The improvements involved diverting runoff from a stormwater pipe that previously flowed under the pond and discharged untreated to Centennial Brook.  This captured an additional 30.8 (+/-) acre watershed that includes drainage from the southern half of Williston Road, adjacent commercial and residential properties in South Burlington, and additional portions of the UVM campus. The results of this project will provide a significant improvement to the stormwater quality of Centennial Brook. 

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Vermont State Recovery Fund has provided Community Stormwater Grant funding to assist the University and both cities to reduce the adverse impacts to water quality from stormwater runoff.

These three entities are all Municipal Stormwater Systems (MS4) communities and thus required to treat stormwater runoff within their jurisdictions. The University and the cities have provided at least 20% matching funds for this work. 

This collaboration across the watershed will benefit the University, both cities and the citizens and residents of the area, as well as contribute to water quality and health benefits of both Centennial Brook and Lake Champlain.