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Chautauqua County Health Department to accept state enhanced drinking water grant to support inspections and staff
Summary
The county health department will accept New York State enhanced drinking water grant funding to support staff time and water monitoring across roughly 214 public water supplies in the county; funding varies year to year and will primarily pay staff, with some potential for training and mileage.
The Audit & Control Committee approved a resolution authorizing Chautauqua County Health Department to accept enhanced drinking water grant funding from New York State to support water monitoring, inspections and staffing.
Jessica Wersley, director of environmental health, told the committee the grant amount varies on a multi‑year cycle and that the department uses most of the funds to pay staff who monitor and inspect public water supplies. Wersley said Chautauqua County has roughly 214 public water supplies, a category that ranges from municipal systems to restaurants and mobile home parks that use wells.
Wersley described daily operational checks — for example, ensuring ultraviolet disinfection systems are functioning or recording chlorine residuals — and periodic sampling by contracted laboratories. She said sampling frequency varies by system type and by past water‑quality issues: municipal supplies may sample multiple times per month with multiple distribution samples, while mobile home parks may sample monthly; systems with prior problems are placed on more frequent schedules.
Committee members asked about staff assigned to water work. Wersley said the department has one water resource specialist dedicated full time to water work, a senior water resource specialist who supervises water staff and also handles other duties (Natalie Whiteman was named), plus part of a sanitarian, a public health technician and a clerk who carry out tasks seasonally. Wersley said the funds primarily pay staff time but may be used in some years for mileage or training.
The resolution passed by voice vote.
