Currently most Hurley residents have
wells and septic systems. No public sewer system exists
in town, but there are three privately held water districts.
Each publishes an annual water quality
report for subscribers, as required by law. None have
had any problems of note. None anticipate any problems
continuing to provide the quantity or quality of water
their subscribers expect.
Bluestone Park Water Corporation
Earl Baker 78 Stone Rd
W. Hurley, NY 12491 845-338-6025
Rolling Meadows Water Corporation
Jeff Vogt PO Box 540
Hurley, NY 12443 845-331-2201
Windemere Highlands, Inc.
Jeffrey M. Vogt PO Box 540
Hurley, NY 12443 845-331-2201
New Water Districts for Existing Residential Areas
Due to the close proximity of wells and septic systems, portions
of West Hurley zoned R2 are at risk for cross-contamination. Often
the residents develop immunity, but their visitors can suffer.
Most contamination issues, with the exception of oil and chemical
spills, can be managed through routine testing and water treatment,
but that management falls to the individual homeowner or landlord.
A water district offers an alternative method for managing
water quality.
The cost of implementing
and maintaining a water district falls to those who
utilize it. While some grant money may be available
to help offset costs, residents in a proposed water district
have to expect to pay a share. Here are some recent examples.
A current implementation in Hyde
Park for 270 homes will cost $4.2M.
$2.2M will be covered through NYS DEP and Federal Clean Air/Clean
Water funds. The residents will pay the rest.
In East Kingston, a system for 64 homes will cost $1,094,000. The
USDA will cover approximately half. The other half will be
paid through a low-interest government loan, payable by the
residents.
The High Falls project
will cost $18M. High Falls has been on the EPA Priority
List of Hazardous Waste Sites and, as a result,
the government will fully fund the installation. This is
the only local project eligible for full funding as
a hazardous
waste site.
To be prudent, the Town should invest in a study to determine the
feasibility and estimated cost of a West Hurley water district.
Residents should be fully cognizant of the financial impact
of implementation on each household, and the alternatives.
In
addition, the town should undertake a town-wide public
education effort on the homeowner’s
responsibility for community well being of to maintain
both septic and wells.
Water and waste districts for new, multi-unit development
Planning review
for all new development must include both water and
waste systems that can adequately
conserve and protect water
supplies. While approval for these new systems falls to the county,
the Planning Board should be alert to the impact of
new systems in the Aquifer Overlay Districts and require
comprehensive testing.
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