OBSERVER Photo by M.J. Stafford North County Water District Vice Chairman Rich Lewis and Executive Director Alison Vento sit at the head of the table at the NCWD January board meeting. Lewis chaired the meeting as Chairman Daniel Pacos was absent.

The North County Water District was denied a New York Water Infrastructure Improvement Grant to fund master meters — even though the lack of meters is one of the things state auditors tagged as a problem.

NCWD Executive Director Alison Vento announced the denial at the organization’s January board meeting because she wanted to start a conversation about funding the meters. Both NCWD officials and the auditors agree that master meters are vital towards getting pinpoint accuracy on how much water is flowing between each member of the district, and how much is coming in from the city of Dunkirk treatment plant, the district’s sole provider.

Vento said the first priority for installing meters will have to be industrial users, as they are the biggest customers.

Rich Lewis, NCWD vice chair and Portland town supervisor, noted that a master meter between the village of Brocton and the town cost about $100,000. He pointed out that NCWD would need multiple meters — “if it’s 10 master meters, it’s a million bucks.”

He added, “I don’t see any way of doing it without financing or grant funding.”

Vento said someone from district “engineers of record” CPL suggested reapplying for the grant. However, she does not think that is a feasible way of funding meters that district officials want to put in this year.