Burlington Moves Forward With $10M Downtown Water and Sewer Replacement

The City of Burlington is carrying out a downtown water and sewer replacement project funded through a combination of ARPA dollars and a $10 million allocation from the State of North Carolina. The work addresses aging underground infrastructure in the downtown core and is being coordinated with the Downtown Streetscapes Project, which voters approved in 2024 as a streets and sidewalks bond.

City materials describe the background and history of the project and note that, as with other ARPA-funded efforts, the work must be completed by the end of 2026. To reduce the cumulative impact on downtown traffic, businesses, and residents, city staff are coordinating scheduling and sequencing with contractors so water and sewer replacements align with streetscape work rather than requiring separate excavations at different times.

Burlington’s project page includes links to the current construction schedule and timeline, and the city is positioning staff to work closely with contractors to manage staging, road access, and service work in ways that minimize disruption. Residents and merchants in downtown Burlington should expect the usual signs of urban utility replacement projects while the city carries out coordinated work intended to limit repeated disruptions to sidewalks, roads, and utilities.

The combined funding approach reflects the layered nature of modern infrastructure finance: federal ARPA funds tied to pandemic-era recovery rules, a direct state investment, and local voter support for complementary streetscape improvements. That mix accelerates replacement of critical water and sewer lines that underpin public health, firefighting capacity, and downtown economic vitality, while the streetscape elements aim to improve pedestrian access and aesthetic appeal.

For Alamance County, the downtown project underscores how local priorities intersect with state and federal policy and funding timelines. The requirement to complete ARPA projects by the end of 2026 creates a compressed schedule that increases the importance of tight coordination among contractors, city staff, and the public. Successful completion should reduce the risk of future service interruptions and support ongoing downtown revitalization tied to the 2024 bond work.

Burlington residents seeking detailed timing for specific blocks can consult the city’s project page for the current schedule and additional coordination notices. City staff stress they will continue to work with downtown stakeholders to manage construction impacts while advancing essential upgrades to the water and sewer systems.