The proposed library, as shown in this artist’s rendering, failed to win voter support.

NORTH SMITHFIELD — Voters overwhelmingly approved a $21-million expansion of the town’s sewer system in yesterday’s referendum, but even more decisively said no to a new town library.

The sewer bond passed, 1,080 to 659, garnering 62 percent of the vote. And as much as they favored new sewer lines, they were against the $12-million library bond, which went down with 1,289 votes against to 469 votes for, a better than three-to-one margin.

Sewer Commission Chairwoman Linda Jean Briggs said she was “thrilled” about the sewer bond result.

“The residents of North Smithfield should be proud,” she said. “Your vote has been a clear and responsible statement that your neighbors matter.”

Town Administrator Robert B. Lowe was likewise glad at the sewer bond result, saying not only would it mean that residential areas plagued by failing septic systems would have relief, the new sewers would also mean more opportunities to attract new businesses to town.

“That was our lifeline to expand and build our tax base,” he said.

Library Board member Brian C. Newberry said voters were clearly frightened off by the $12-million price tag on the library bond.

“It was the cost,” he said. “I thought it was worth it, but I can totally understand why” voters didn’t.

He said that while it was not the outcome he hoped for, the result was unambiguous.

“I’m glad it didn’t lose by ten votes,” he said. “It’s a clear decision.”

Lowe said he thought the library was a victim of bad timing. With tax bills expected to go up about $500 next year when the payment on the new middle school bond hits the budget, adding $12 million more in debt was a hard sell.

Library supporters had tried to counter the fiscal criticism by pointing out that state subsidies and sale of library-owned land would probably produce about $6 million for the town, leaving only $6 million of the $12 million in total cost to be paid off by tax revenues.

The library bond would have enabled the town to buy, renovate and expand the old power station in the Slatersville Mill complex and turn it into a 30,000-square-foot library. Besides increasing the library’s storage capacity for books, magazines and other materials, the move would also have created more community meeting space, supporters said.

The plan was to add floors and space in the existing building and then build an addition to the building on the other side of its distinctive smokestack.

The sewer bond had drawn wide support from environmentally inclined groups like the Conservation Commission, which saw the bond as a way to protect the town’s underground drinking water sources; and business groups who saw sewers in developed area like Slatersville as a way to build on the town’s commercial tax base.

The sewer bond will finance the biggest expansion in the town sewer system since 1992. It will add sewer service throughout the north and northeast parts of town, closing gaps between the already connected parts of town while at the same time hooking up areas that have been suffering from septic system and cesspool failures.

The town doesn’t have its own sewer plant. Its sewage is sent to the regional wastewater treatment plant in Woonsocket. The Woonsocket facility also treats sewage from Woonsocket and Blackstone, Mass. The three municipalities share the operating and capital costs based what percentage of sewage they contrigute to what goes intot he plant.

Plans call for a new sewer line to be installed on St. Paul Street and on into the Waterford section, which could then link up with the existing Mendon Road sewers.

Along the northern town line, new sewers would be run in the Willerval/Tanglewood area that would link up with the St. Paul Street line, as well as the existing School Street line. Greene Street in the Slatersville section, a neighborhood with several seriously troubled septic systems, would be connected to the Ironstone and School Street pipelines.

jhill@projo.com