City Wants $3.5 Million To Clear Up Froggy-Tasting Water

PORT JERVIS — The city council and Dept. of Public Works (DPW) are seeking $3.5 million funding to permanently fix the bad odor and bad taste in the city drinking water caused by algae build-ups.

Council DPW Committee Chairman Gerry Oney briefed the council on this initiative at the most recent council meeting held at City Hall.

DPW Director Vince Lopez said that the city water plant treats the water with chlorine and ozone. This treatment reacts with the algae and emits a gas that leaves the water with a bad taste and odor.

The city also has used an aeration system in the reservoir to reduce the algae growth, but this has not turned out to be a long-term solution.

Some years, the algae blooms in hot weather and grows too fast.

Oney said city research and studies have shown that the $3.5 clarifier system is needed. This clarifier requires its own building. This building would be located between the two existing water-plant facilities located on Reservoir Avenue.

The city has lobbied the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, for the funds, but so far, the USDA has not committed to fund the project. The city is also seeking other funding sources.

In other DPW matters, Oney reported that the city is continuing its Inflow Infiltration (II) testing requested by New York City Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP).

DEP complained that the city sewer system apparently was taking in stormwater and adding it to the total city effluent going into the city’s wastewater treatment plant. This additional load is costing DEP.

PJ floated a bond for various public works projects in 2009, of which $250,000 was earmarked for the II testing, according to City Clerk Treasurer Robin Waizenegger.

Lopez said that testing for leaks started last year and is continuing. A city sewer line appears to be allowing rainwater and stormwater to infiltrate. Ideally, the stormwater should be 100 percent handled by the city’s stormwater-drainage system. The city has both sewer lines and stormwater lines.

Lopez said that most cities have one line for both, but Port Jervis has two. He noted that so far, the city is finding that the stormwater is not the only grey water that is getting into the sewer system. Some of the additional load is coming from people pumping out their basements. This is not legal, according to city code.

Lopez said that the council could take some action regarding the scope of all the issues affecting infiltration, but the study needs to be completed before mitigation takes place and council takes further action... for complete story, get this week's issue.