The Chautauqua County Health Department explained why boil water orders “cannot be prevented by switching to water from the city of Dunkirk or the North County Water District” in a letter to Fredonia officials.

The letter lists six reasons. The first reason is that “boil water orders are triggered by unpredictable events.”

Reason No. 2 is that “emergency connections may only be utilized during an emergency. A boil water order is not considered an emergency (italicized in original document) per New York State Department of Health guidance. Boiling the water makes it safe to drink, therefore a boil order alone is not considered an emergency.”

The next reason is called “system pressure and valve limitations.” Pressure reducing valves are not present in Fredonia’s water system. Therefore, “in order for water to flow into Fredonia’s system, the Fredonia distribution system and storage tanks would need to be completely empty.”

A complication that’s apparently new to Fredonia’s gargantuan water debate is then reported. The distribution system can be emptied if water is stopped from leaving the treatment plant — however, “the valves that could close off the pipes leaving the water treatment plant were installed in 1883 and have not been operated in decades. Closing those valves now carries a risk that they could damage or fail entirely if disturbed.

“To that end, shutting down the water treatment plant is not a viable option.”

Reason No. 4 informs that water from the North County Water District (which is also Dunkirk’s water; the city is the district’s sole supplier) would have to be tested to ensure its safety if it was sent over, because it has “different chemistry” than Fredonia’s product.

The two final reasons go on to state that “water chemical differences pose a potential safety risk” and the “Vineyard Drive interconnection capacity is limited.”

According to the county’s letter, Fredonia uses a phosphate-based chemical that Dunkirk does not. “If Dunkirk water were to flow through Fredonia pipes, it could remove the protective coating that has built up inside the Fredonia line,” leading to pathogen, lead, and copper contamination concerns.

It’s added that “if Fredonia were to connect to the NCWD in the future these water chemistry concerns would be addressed in the design phase and booster stations may be required to add chemical to the NCWD water before it enters the Fredonia distribution system.”

Dated Monday, the letter is addressed to Fredonia Mayor Michael Ferguson and the village Board of Trustees. It’s signed by Jsssica Wuerstle, the county health department’s director of environmental health services.

The letter is posted on Fredonia’s village government website.

The Fredonia Board of Trustees has set a meeting for Wednesday, Sept. 10 to vote on a long-term plan to decommission the village treatment plant and reservoir, and acquire water from the North County Water District.