Recent claims that Fredonia’s December Boil Water Order and the water main breaks are somehow the fault of the Save Our Reservoir group and the pending environmental lawsuit set for this month, would be laughable, if the situation were not so serious.

The most recent boil order was reportedly the result of a piece of failed equipment and the failure of plant management to have spare parts on hand to address predictable equipment failure. This occurred after Trustee Paul Wandel promised months ago to investigate the Standard Operating Procedures of the plant in order to prevent future boil orders. Is it SOP to not have spare parts in stock for predictable maintenance and equipment failure?

As stated numerous times by numerous knowledgeable individuals, Fredonia’s water line breaks are caused by aging infrastructure and will continue until 100-year-old water pipes are replaced. As also stated numerous times by numerous knowledgeable individuals, if Fredonia discontinues producing and selling water, the village will lose a valuable revenue source often used to replace aging pipes and infrastructure.

Mayor Michael Ferguson was quoted on the front page of the OBSERVER (Dec. 20) calling out as “lies” claims that Fredonia’s water rates would skyrocket if an agreement to buy water from the North County Water District were entered into. This after two LaBella engineering reports clearly showed that buying water from the NCWD was by far the more expensive option for Fredonia water.

The mayor and trustees were also shown research and projections done by former Village Administrator, the late James Sedota, shortly before his untimely passing. Sedota’s in depth research also indicates that Fredonia’s water rates will rise substantially if the village purchases from the NCWD. And no one on the village board has addressed how the village will pay for the added expense of buying water from the NCWD for the incidental water loss from leaky water lines, faulty water meters, municipal use and from water main breaks like those most recently experienced.

You, the village water user, will pay for this lost water by way of increased water rates.

Misguided individuals blaming SOR and the lawsuit filers for Fredonia’s water woes should actually be thanking them. SOR is a diverse group made up of former village officials, educators, business people and individuals from all walks of life.

These concerned citizens are spending their own money and a great deal of time and effort trying to stop the village government from making a grave financial mistake with regards to Fredonia water. All the while enduring criticism and disrespect from the mayor, members of the village board and a small group in the community. Ask yourself this question. Why would SOR and the lawsuit filers be pushing back so hard against the purchase of water from the NCWD unless they were absolutely convinced by facts and their research that upgrading the village’s dam, reservoir and water treatment plant is in the best interests of Fredonia?

But don’t believe everything politicians tell you or everything written in the OBSERVER or on Facebook. Make your own determination. Attend village board meetings or catch them on YouTube. Watch the LaBella presentations also on YouTube. Ask intelligent questions. Fact check the statements and claims made by the mayor and village government. The truth is out there.

Andrew Ludwig is a Fredonia resident.