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Committee approves acceptance of multi-year enhanced drinking water grant to support public water oversight
Summary
The Human Services Committee approved accepting a five-year enhanced drinking water grant from New York State worth $128,899 per year to support county staff who oversee public water supplies; the funds do not directly fund municipalities but pay county staffing and technical assistance.
The Chautauqua County Human Services Committee voted July 16 to accept a five-year enhanced drinking water grant from New York State that provides $128,899 per year to support the county's public water supply oversight and related staffing.
Jessica Wirsley, the county director of environmental health, and Public Health Director Lacey Wilson explained the grant is an ongoing formula award the state notifies the county about rather than a competitive application. Wilson said the county uses the funds primarily for staff salaries to provide technical assistance, sampling oversight and operator education for public water supplies, including municipal systems and businesses that operate on well water.
"This is to support our role with overseeing public water supplies... public water supplies include everything from municipal supplies like BPU down to, you know, a restaurant that serves off of well water," Wilson said. She added that the county does not give the money directly to municipalities; rather, it covers county staff time that supports local operators.
Wirsley and Wilson said there has been a reduction in the grant amount since the last five-year cycle — "almost $20,000," Wilson said — but the funds still cover core staffing. Committee members asked whether the grant would help local problems such as Fredonia's water issues; Wilson said staff provide technical assistance and troubleshooting but the grant does not fund municipal infrastructure directly.
The committee approved the resolution to accept the enhanced drinking water grant funding.
County staff said they will continue to use the grant to pay staff who answer operator calls, assist municipalities and perform sampling and oversight duties required under state rules.
