Water Project Update

 IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER
Village of Newport - NY2102311
Does Not Meet Treatment Requirements
 
Our water system is in violation of a New York State drinking water standard. Although this situation does not require
that you take immediate action, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened, what you should do, and
what we are doing to correct this situation.
On February 20, 2007, the New York State Department of Health - Herkimer District Office determined that the water
being supplied from both the Skunk Hill and Furman Springs, which are the sources of our drinking water, were under
the direct influence of surface water and that we did not provide adequate treatment to assure that potentially harmful
organisms were removed or inactivated. The Department of Health required that we comply with the requirement to
provide adequate treatment or replace the sources within 18 months (by August 18, 2008). Unfortunately, we were
unable to comply with the August 18, 2008 deadline and we are in violation of the New York State Sanitary Code,
Subpart 5-1.30(b). Subpart 5-1.78 of the State Sanitary Code requires the water system owner/operator to notify all
customers of this violation and future actions.
 
What does this mean?
 
This is not a situation requiring that you take immediate action. If it had been you would have been notified
immediately. However, until improvements are made, there is an increased chance that disease-causing organisms
could contaminate the water supply.
Inadequately treated water may contain disease-causing organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and
parasites which can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches. These
symptoms, however, are not caused only by organisms in drinking water. If you experience any of these symptoms
and they persist, you may want to seek medical advice.
 
What is being done?
 
We are currently working with the Department of Health to modify our water system to comply with the State Drinking
Water requirements. A consulting engineer has been hired to evaluate available alternatives and reports have been
provided. A public meeting was held on March 25, 2009. A schedule for compliance was approved by the Department
of Health on March 30, 2009. However, we were not able to meet the approved schedule and anticipate having a
revised schedule for compliance in place within the next month. The schedule for the resolution of the problem will
depend on the complexity of the solution. We are pursuing available funding to assist with the necessary upgrades.
Until compliance is achieved, you will receive a notice similar to this every three months.
 
What should I do?
 If you have specific health concerns, consult your doctor. People with severely compromised immune systems, infants, and some elderly may be at increased risk. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.
You do not need to boil your water or provide any additional treatment. However, if you are considering purchasing a home drinking water filter, please be aware that not all filters provide equal or adequate protection. If you have questions regarding home filters you can call the NYS Department of Health at 1 (800)458-1158.
 Please share this information with all other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have receivedthis notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools and businesses). You can do this byposting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail. For more information, please contact the village office at (315) 845-8543, or the New York State Department of Health- Herkimer District Office, (315) 866-6879.