Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press board on brown water, aging filters and transfer of water funds
Summary
Public commenters raised long‑running concerns about brown water, cited inspections saying filters are obsolete, and questioned why water funds were transferred to the general fund while engineers estimated replacement costs up to $400,000 per filter; trustees said the plant aggregate has aged and that FEMA reimbursement remains uncertain.
Several Highland Falls residents used the public‑comment period to press the village board about longstanding water quality and infrastructure issues, focusing on aging filters at the village water plant and recent budget moves.
One resident asked why the board was transferring money from the water fund into the general fund when the plant needs filter work, noting an engineering estimate of $600,000 per filter and repeated incidents of brown or over‑chlorinated water in homes. "Each filter is asking how much does it cost to replace each filter? $600,000 per filter," a resident asked during public comment. Speakers who worked in or near the plant disputed some procedural claims but confirmed that the filter aggregate was installed decades ago and that replacement and rehabilitation costs could run into the hundreds of thousands per unit.
Trustees and staff reiterated that a study paid for by the village examined the aggregate, filters and holding tanks and that the $400,000 per filter figure reflects an "up to" estimate pending inspection once the aggregate is removed. A board representative said, "The $400,000 per filter number is what it says in the up to 400" and stressed that final cost will depend on physical assessment. Officials also said FEMA reimbursements related to storm damage remain slow and that some FEMA funds previously allocated to capital projects have been used or reallocated while the village waits for federal action.
Why it matters: residents reported repeated service disruptions and health concerns (brown water, odor) and want prioritization of water‑plant capital work; the replacement cost and slow FEMA process have budgetary implications. The board scheduled detailed follow‑up and budget‑workshop sessions to examine funding, project sequencing and technical findings.
Provenance: topicintro SEG 796; topfinish SEG 3410
