OBSERVER file photo Dunkirk Department of Public Works Director Randy Woodbury stands next to the pumps at the city’s water pumping station on Main Street Extension.

Engineers conducting a study of Fredonia’s water options have visited the city of Dunkirk’s treatment plant on Lake Shore Drive.

The visit happened Wednesday, reported Dunkirk Department of Public Works Director Randy Woodbury at a Thursday meeting of the North County Water District Board.

“We were able to make a good presentation” to the engineers from LaBella, Woodbury said.

The city of Dunkirk is the water district’s sole supplier. The district includes parts of the towns of Dunkirk, Pomfret, Portland and Sheridan and the village of Brocton.

Fredonia’s own water plant has been flagged for numerous deficiencies and village officials are considering options. It’s possible they could decommission the plant and get water from the city, but that would likely demand at least one more Dunkirk-Fredonia water line connection. There is opposition to decommissioning from some in the village, who think Fredonia should renovate its plant and keep providing its own water.

LaBella’s ongoing study is supposed to suggest one of the options.

At the water district meeting, Woodbury touted the granular-activated carbon filter mats at the city plant, stating “it makes really clean water.”

He added, “We’d have to wash them more often, we know that,” if there is increased flow through the filters — as would happen if Dunkirk starts providing water to Fredonia.

Woodbury also asserted, “There’s no chlorination byproducts in our water.”

He said Dunkirk’s water plant has a “solid rating” and can produce high-quality water at an even higher volume than it does now.

Stating that water district board members “may hear otherwise” about the city plant, Woodbury invited them to call him for data to back up his assertions.

He asked LaBella’s engineers to point out the data on the quality of Dunkirk water in what he hopes will be a “neutral report.”