County assails village ‘mindset’ on its water
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Chautauqua County officials were clear last week at a Fredonia Board of Trustees meeting that they want to help the village fix its violation-laden water system.
However, there was iron in that velvet glove. They pointedly went over the village's many years of water system woes, and explained that they may have to enforce state and federal penalties if things don't get fixed.
County Legislator Susan Parker, who represents Fredonia in the legislature along with Bob Scudder, has already put out a feeler to the village. In a letter read out at last week's meeting, she proposed a village/county task force concerning Fredonia's water infrastructure.
"On August 30, 2023, I attended a special meeting with the Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel, Interim Chautauqua County Public Health Director Michael Faulk, Deputy Public Health Director Lacey Wilson, Director of Environmental Health Services Jessica Wuerstle, Chautauqua County Health Department Water Resource Specialist Natalie Whiteman, County Legislator Bob Scudder, Mayor Doug Essek, Trustees Jon Espersen and Michelle Twichell, the Village's Water Treatment Plant Operator Luis Fred, among others," she wrote.
"The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the serious immediate, and long-standing, issues attending the Village's Water Treatment Plant and Distribution system. The meeting followed on years of accumulating problems -- problems that continue to plague our Plant and System."
The four health officials were all at the trustees' meeting, and all were forthright: Fredonia's water system has serious problems.
"Unfortunately, we've seen repeat significant deficiencies with the Fredonia water plant and some of these… date back to 2008," said Wuerstle. The village has had many engineering reports done on its water system but "unfortunately, we haven't seen a whole lot of followup on what those engineering reports indicated."
The order this February came after a chlorine pump failed "and there wasn't the appropriate backup plan for that chlorine pump failure," she said. The June boil order was caused by excess turbidity in the water.
"We don't like issuing these," Wuerstle said of boil orders. "We don't want to issue them. We certainly don't look for reasons to issue them."
Whiteman was critical of Fredonia's response to a July 15 report by the state Department of Health on the water system deficiencies. The village stated that no major corrective action was planned, as it is awaiting the results of another engineering report.
She passed to trustees a list of the violations not addressed since 2008. "We're not here to point fingers too much," she said. "Where the village is at now with its water system … that mindset has to change."
Part of the list contained items that must be corrected in the short term. The other part is Intermediate and long-term items. The short-term items should be corrected as soon as possible. The village is required to work with the county health department on a plan, due Sept. 30, for the longer-term violations.
If concrete, reasonable steps to fix the violations are not taken by Nov. 15, Whiteman said the state will issue a technical violation that is a reported to a federal database and may lead to an EPA audit.
"That's akin to saying these are public health hazards because they have not been addressed," she said.
Whiteman pointed out the village's water woes began well before 2008. She recalled that the reservoir was so low twice in the 1990s that it was unable to provide water. The village bought water from Cassadaga then. She questioned whether such large-scale water purchases would be allowed to happen again, with tighter state and federal regulations now in place.
Faulk said he has heard of the EPA fining municipalities up to $62,000 per day, per violation. The state Board of Health could also issue up to $2,500 in daily fines for each violation.
Wilson and the other county health officials repeatedly stated they want to work with Fredonia. They also noted that they are acting as the state Board of Health's enforcement arm.
Wilson thanked Essek for "starting a conversation" about the matter with health officials.
Parker's letter asks "the Village to create an Intermunicipal Water Task Force in cooperation with County Health, County Planning, Legislator Scudder, and me, as well as a representative from the North Chautauqua County Water District, e.g., Pomfret Town Supervisor Dan Pacos.
"The Task Force should (a) determine a collaboratively decided upon method of independent review and input regarding the Village's engineering study; (b) consider options, including continuing the current plant and distribution system with improvements; the option of replacing the Village's water plant by way of the North Chautauqua County Water District or the City of Dunkirk directly; (c) present the options in preferred order with associated costs and benefits; and (d) establish a clear, compliant, action plan and timetable for consideration and approval by the Village and any other affected public bodies."