Fredonia Mayor Douglas Essek did the right thing this week in placing the Fredonia under a state of emergency regarding its troublesome and antiquated water system. For far too long, as he pointed out in a chronology, the village has been living in dreamland with its water while not dealing with the numerous issues regarding its reservoir, spillway, infrastructure and storage that date back to 1998.

“We’ve had all these studies all these years and we’ve done nothing with them. We’ve done nothing at all,” Essek said.

That is not just an indictment on this board, but all those previously elected officials who served over a span of 25 years. Residents and business are very aware of the water issues that have been ignored in recent years that ultimately makes a proud village look inept.

For now, the water is safe to drink. But the treatment facility is operating with plenty of deficiencies that led to a presentation this past week by the county Health Department. Their message was simple: fix the water issues — and they will assist in the process.

But if Fredonia decides to not tie in to the North County Water District — or through the city of Dunkirk — the costs for major upgrades could be almost as much as the $25 million in upgrades that were made to the Dunkirk water system within the past decade.

“It’s time to stop doing engineering studies and address what’s wrong with the water system,” county health department senior water specialist Natalie Whiteman told Fredonia officials. She later added, “We can’t wait months or years to make it happen. The system is too fragile.”

There remain some delusional board members regarding this issue. That is unfortunate — and selfish.

A community cannot thrive without a reliable water system. Essek’s declaration proves Fredonia has a long way to go.