Suffern Searches for Water Supply Along Mahwah River

Suffern searches for water supply along MahwahRiver

Journal News, The (Westchester County, NY)
November 26, 2007
Author:James WalshSTAFF

Estimated printed pages: 3

SUFFERN - The village is exploring along the MahwahRiver for another water supply in case chloride contamination worsens in the existing well field.

So far, the pollution has been confined to one of the village's four wells alongside the RamapoRiver.
That well is not being used at this time, and the remaining wells are meeting the village's needs.
Mayor John Keegan said the village was looking at other potential well sites so it wouldn't be caught off guard.
"Right now, we're doing some testing," Keegan said of the village's engineering consultants. "There are some indications that there is water near the north end of the Schwarz property."
The 8 acres, off Memorial Drive, is proposed for a residential development, while some residents favor its preservation to avoid further flooding there and downstream in the Squire's Gate neighborhood.
Keegan said the village also was studying underground supplies - he emphasized that there was no proposal to draw surface water from the MahwahRiver - near the community's recreation area off Memorial Drive.
Pumping 500,000 gallons per day might be possible along the Mahwah. Suffern typically uses 1.5 million gallons daily, though it has reached 2.5 million gallons on some summer days.
An additional source could be used as a backup, or to blend with existing water if the chloride problem worsened.
"Because we don't know what's going to happen to our other three wells," Keegan said. "Right now, it's only one well."
It was uncertain when the testing would be completed.
Rising levels of chloride prompted Dennis Lindsay, the village's consultant, to ask the county Department of Health to organize an investigation of the matter.
That led to a meeting in September that brought together representatives of the village, the state Department of Transportation, the New York State Thruway Authority, the county and Ramapo highway departments, and United Water New York.
While the village points to the state Thruway as a likely source of the contamination because of its de-icing operations, the Department of Health has said that the growth of local roads could also be a factor.
Road drainage would have to be studied beyond the immediate area of the wells.
The panel also thought it needed to know how fast chloride seeps into the ground. It was uncertain how long ago chloride found in the water had entered the soil.
The Environmental Protection Agency's acceptable maximum level of chloride in drinking water is 250 milligrams per liter, a level sometimes exceeded in one of the village's wells.
While high levels may not pose a health risk, excessive amounts can make water unpleasantly salty and corrode plumbing.
United Water spokesman Steve Goudsmith said last week that the company was willing to help with the chloride issue as part of its proposal to buy water from the village.
"Although we have not heard from the village lately," Goudsmith said, "we welcome a further discussion on the potential purchase of water, and we're also prepared to help with the village's chloride issue."
Goudsmith did not specifically say what aid the company could offer.
Reach James Walsh at or 845-578-2445.

Edition: RK
Section: NEWS
Page: 1A

Record Number: wst39558225

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Suffern searches for water supply along Mahwah River