Officials outline action plan for reservoir replacement and village lead-pipe survey

Village officials told the Menands Village Board on May 4 that Labella has begun work on an action plan to replace a higher-service reservoir off MSL Boulevard after a county health review identified deficiencies.

The plan, compiled by Labella, will be submitted to the County Department of Health for review before full work can proceed, the board said. Officials said some minor fixes have already started and will not be delayed while awaiting county approval.

"We then took that report and Labella has compiled an action plan," a village official said. The board said Labella will submit the project for state funding consideration; one key deadline for funding is June 30.

Board members discussed a safety gap flagged in the health report and asked staff to add an eyewash station near chlorine-handling equipment. "There is an eyewash station — it's just on the other side of the wall," a staff member replied, adding the village may obtain a second, more-accessible unit.

Separately, the board described a federal and village effort to survey homes to determine whether they contain lead service pipes. Village staff said survey teams will begin door-to-door visits in the coming weeks and will carry identification when visiting residents.

Officials said the village will provide households confirmed to have lead plumbing with a water pitcher and filters sufficient for six months, after which residents may obtain their own filters. The village is also working with federal advisers and grant specialists to identify potential funding to help homeowners replace lead service lines.

"If anybody is found to have lead, the village's going to be giving them a water pitcher and then it's good for six months," a board member said, adding the village has already distributed about 10 pitchers.

Why it matters: The reservoir is a central component of the village water system and the county review identified deficiencies the board says must be addressed before replacement begins. The lead-pipe survey and pitcher distribution are immediate public-health measures while longer-term funding and replacement options are explored.

What comes next: The board said it will submit the Labella action plan to the County Department of Health for approval and pursue the state's funding list before the June 30 deadline. Village staff expected survey teams to begin contacting residents within a week or two to conduct lead assessments and distribute pitchers to households confirmed to have lead plumbing.