Village officials seek secondary water source

The village plans to drill four test wells on the Winston Farm property later this month in an effort to find a secondary water supply.

At a Village Board meeting Monday, Mayor William Murphy said funding for the project will come from the state’s Community Rising initiative.

“We actually had a couple hundred thousand dollars left over after our first four approved projects, and the state said yes,” he said. “We got permission from the Schallers to go up on the property and dig four test holes. If we find a secure water source, then we have the money to develop it.”

The village has been authorized for $3 million under the state program to make infrastructure improvements that would help the village withstand damage from storms similar to Irene and Lee in 2011.

Projects planned under the Community Rising program have included upgrades to the village beach, a bulkhead replacement at Tina Chorvas Park, replacement of 127-year-old pilings at the Saugerties Lighthouse, dredging at the Saugerties Reservoir in Blue Mountain and improvements at the village water treatment plant.

Village officials said the current water system has only reached two-thirds of its daily capacity at any point this year.

“It’s 1.2 million (gallons) a day out of a 1.8 million allotment,” Murphy said. “This is while we’re at peak season right now . ... I don’t think I’ve ever seen us go over 1.25 million in a given day, and during the winter season, it’s around 700,000 to 800,000 gallons.”

Murphy noted that the village over the past several years has extended water lines from state Route 212 to state Route 32.

“Because of that possible contamination that was out at the (Comfort Inn) hotel out there that was from a new well, we had to provide water,” he said.

Murphy said the contamination was apparently coming from the east side of the state Thruway and should not affect wells from the nearby Winston Farm.

“We found out that was an isolated incident that was coming from the other side of the Thruway,” he said.

Officials say additional water capacity could help encourage new businesses to open in areas that have been promoted a potential commercial corridors.

“The community is growing, and if we ever have the opportunity in the future of developing Kings Highway, it would be nice to have a secondary water source just as a backup,” Murphy said. “It could take care of any further development on (state Route) 32 and also Kings Highway.”