When a water main broke on July 8 in the village of Fredonia, village Department of Public Works crews did what they needed to do - they worked more than 30 hours to get the job done.
The break, which occurred nearly 20 feet deep, was fixed by the next afternoon. It was a job well done.
But if the break was not to be repaired within the more than one-day span, other crews, such as those from Dunkirk or Chautauqua County, would have been called on to assist the village. That's what many government officials point to as sharing services, which is nice, but there is a better way.
Last month, a number of government leaders during a Chadwick Bay meeting were again on the topic of a regional water district and its benefits. Communities such as Sheridan, Fredonia, Dunkirk and Brocton could all benefit from this plan.
Dunkirk is in desperate need of water plant upgrades, which will likely cost millions of dollars, while other communities are not far behind.
Fredonia's water break took more than a day to fix. Let's not kid ourselves. It could have been much worse.
It is time to take our water woes seriously. We must work together at all times to make this region a success, not just in times of an emergency or crisis.
