We understand the emotion from the Save Our Reservoir group in terms of Fredonia maintaining local control over its water system. Change is always worrisome — and sometimes it is troubling to rely on partnerships.

But here’s the reality. Most of the leadership in the Save Our Reservoir group is made up of former administrators, elected trustees and mayors who by lack of action were responsible for the deterioration of the failing system over the decades. Water did not just become an issue over the last year, it has been a longtime major dilemma that has needed to be dealt with but was always shoved to the back burner.

To be fair, those lack of actions in the past were damaging. Over the last 15 years of poor water quality, the village has: lost population; saw a company in Carriage House that once employed more than 250 relocate; been partially responsible for the State University of New York at Fredonia enrollment decline, especially since the three-week water emergency of 2020.

Reputation is everything. In Fredonia, water is a resource and an enemy. Its current archaic system reflects poorly to current users and potential investors.

Last month, the county approved a study that looks at the possibility of the North County Water District as a supplier to the village. As expected, the Save Our Reservoir group has reservations.

Rightly so.

But let us not forget this important item: the North County Water District, which is supplied exclusively through a contract by the city of Dunkirk, invited Fredonia to be part of this initiative. It even considered it as a supplier.

Village trustees at that time snubbed the idea, especially because of the revenues it was receiving from Carriage House at the time. That decision, in retrospect, was selfish.

Government was looking out for itself — not the users or the businesses tied to the system. That stubborn and small-picture attitude is the very danger that often comes from local control.