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Ogdensburg council orders hydrant flushing after missing water prompts utility review
Summary
Council members discussed unexplained lost water in the borough system, directed staff to investigate with a specialist who can 'scan' flows, and agreed to schedule hydrant flushing and resident notice to check hydrant function.
Ogdensburg — The Borough of Ogdensburg's council on May 26 discussed unexplained water losses in the municipal system and directed staff to pursue outside help while arranging hydrant maintenance.
Councilman David Ciasullo told colleagues the borough is losing water and said he will gather additional information and arrange for a company that can trace where water is going. "The company comes out using a machine and scans where the water goes," Ciasullo said, noting staff will report back to the council with findings and options, including exploring whether a water utility should assume management of the system as an option to investigate.
The council discussed hydrant flushing as a routine maintenance step to remove sediment and verify hydrant operability. Mayor George P. Hutnick and other members said hydrant flushing has not been performed consistently for several years; members suggested coordinating flushing with fire department drill nights and notifying residents in advance. Councilman Richard Gandarinho pressed whether town staff had determined if the missing water resulted from theft or system loss; Ciasullo said tracing and scanning the system is one of the simplest first steps.
Why it matters: Unidentified water loss can indicate leaks, metering errors or unauthorized connections that affect system reliability and rates. Council direction to pursue diagnostic services and a hydrant maintenance program establishes next steps rather than immediate policy changes.
What happens next: Ciasullo will obtain more information on diagnostic services and report back to the council. The borough did not specify costs, timelines, or which company will be contracted; those details were left to staff follow-up.
