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Village hears update on water troubles

Scott Marsh

Fredonia Department of Public Works Director Scott Marsh discussed the village’s recent water main woes at this month’s Board of Trustees meeting.

He started off with the Feb. 28 rupture of a 12-inch main near Temple Street.

“It was a big break, it happened in the middle of the night. We were able to isolate it quickly and get it repaired quickly to avoid a ‘boil water’ (order), which was a huge deal,” he said.

“Everybody worked together, they did a very good plan. Luckily, I had a night crew on, the mayor (Douglas Essek) came out and give us a hand. We all kind of worked together, had it repaired by 10 o’clock. We had a little dirty water throughout the system… but all in all, the job went really well,” Marsh concluded.

He then brought up the break on Central Avenue March 14, close to the city of Dunkirk border.

“Probably one of the older mains in town,” he said. “Again, (it was) isolated good, I think in three or four hours we had everybody back. Water was impacted for three or four customers.”

Marsh said he has received no calls about dirty water recently, other than that caused by the two breaks. He said the village plans to flush its mains in May.

Essek praised village employees’ work on the water system. He advised residents, “If a situation like this occurs in the middle of the night, and you get up and you have low water pressure or no pressure or brown water, the more likely case is we either have a water main break or a fire.”

He added that residents will be advised whenever there is an emergency requiring a boil-water order, but notices about main breaks won’t be sent if they occur in the middle of the night and quick repair is anticipated.

“I realize people are frustrated and they’ve had enough of brown water here over the last 20 or 30 years, and water main breaks. But we’re working on things,” Essek said.

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