Council, Ruff debate city water system fixes

Aug. 21—PLATTSBURGH — The City of Plattsburgh has authorized a stipulation agreement with the Clinton County Health Department that requires the city to correct several issues with its water system.

Of the findings and corrective actions the city is being required to make — which were noted in the health department's inspection of the water system in the spring — the biggest one relates to the insufficient source capacity at Mead Reservoir, city Environmental Manager Jonathan Ruff said at the last Common Council meeting Aug. 17.

"There's always items they identify during their annual inspection," Ruff said.

"Some of them are improvements they suggest we make, some of them are regulatory requirements. Most all of the things in this stipulated agreement are things we've known about and that we've already been taking action on."

MEAD RESERVOIR

In the health department's sanitary survey report this year, it was specifically noted that "there continues to be concerns with Mead Reservoir due to the dam integrity."

"Based on visual observations during the 2023 site visit, the water level is approximately 10 ft below the spillway. This lowering of the pool level, combined with other system deficiencies, creates insufficient source capacity and a public health hazard."

Other actions the health department is requiring the city to take include: hiring a licensed professional engineer and submit a plan to address any potential manganese and iron in the drinking water, which occurred last August and September; making necessary repairs to the water treatment plan; and conducting an evaluation of the amount of disinfection byproducts that form in the water source.

All of which, Ruff said, they have been in the process of addressing.

"We're constructing a well field out around Mead Reservoir so that we can ensure we have sufficient capacity supply and so that we can deal with the structural issues at the reservoir's dam," he said.

"There's a bunch of other things that are listed in this agreement that we're already doing, it just basically codifies with the health department the actions we're taking."

GRANT MONEY

And in addition to the stipulation agreement, the council also approved a resolution that asked for more water system grant money and financing to continue the work Ruff's department is doing.

"The big benefit is it (the agreement) allows us to, in our application for WIIA (Water Infrastructure Improvement) grant and low-interest financing, we get a lot more points towards the project and much more likelihood of getting the grant and the low-cost financing if we have some kind of stipulated agreement in place."

GIBBS, MOORE CONCERNS

Councilor Elizabeth Gibbs (D-Ward 3), who had raised several questions pertaining to the stipulation agreement and outlined corrective actions by the health department, wanted more clarification on how many more wells they would need to build around the reservoir in order to be "in compliance."

Ruff explained that "there's compliance and then there's what do we need and what can we get money for? So we're getting close to being in compliance ... probably like to see at least three, maybe four wells."

"We have one installed. We have another one that we're hoping to construct very soon. and then the two more we're hoping to do in subsequent phases of the WIIA grants and financing program."

Gibbs was also concerned about the city potentially being out of compliance with certain deadlines outlined by the health department and having to pay fines as a result. Though, Ruff assured her that they've met all the deadlines on time.

"Bottom line is we're satisfied with what the health department's looking for," Ruff said, "and they seem to be pleased with what we've done and what we're doing."

Councilor Jeff Moore (D-Ward 6), though, shared his disapproval with Ruff and his department for the way they have taken the water system.

"I just wanted to say that quite frankly, I'm outraged by the fact that an outside agency had to come in and point out the deficiencies in our water system," he said.

"That water system takes care of the water supply for the city, and it should be of utmost importance. We should not have somebody else have to come in and tell us where we're deficient."

BROWN WATER LAST YEAR

In a heated discussion, Moore continued his displeasure with Ruff and the department by making reference to the situation late last summer in which discolored water persisted throughout the city for several weeks.

"There was a big chemical problem with our water, we had precipitate coming out of there and we all had brown water," he said.

"This should not happen ... We need to take care of our important systems. We shouldn't have to have the county come in here and tell us what we aren't doing. These are pretty serious things. So I'm just saying that I would expect that we would do a better job with our water supply, which affects everyone in the city and all the visitors in the city. So to me, I'm very upset that we haven't taken care of these things already. No one should have to point this out to us."

"I definitely share your perspective that our water system is extremely important," Ruff replied.

"I don't agree with most of the other perspectives you just provided. In particular, the work that the health department has cited in here was work that we identified that we were already doing, all they did was codify it to make sure that it happened, even though it was in progress and to give us the points that we need on the WIIA (application)."

Moore countered that "my point is it should have been done before now, not wait for somebody to give us a boot."

"I think you're reading it the wrong way," Ruff said. "This work was in progress. They came in after the fact and basically said 'oh, that work you're doing is great, that's exactly what we wanted to see.'"

"That's not what they said in their letter," Moore retorted.

'THIS IS NOT YOUR PROBLEMS'

Councilor Mike Kelly (D-Ward 2) chimed in to apologize to Ruff.

"I'm sorry you were subjected to this," Kelly said. "We shouldn't be here to chastise the person who's in charge of the water department. and I apologize for that on behalf of the entire council."

Kelly was then interrupted by Councilors Gibbs and Moore who told him to not apologize on their behalf.

"This is not your problem," Kelly concluded.

"I appreciate that," Ruff said.

Email: cnewton@pressrepublican.com

Twitter: CarlySNewton