It is becoming urgent that residents of the Berlin Water District # 2 complete and return the recent surveys sent to them by the District as quickly as possible. Failure to do so by 84 percent of the residents, will mean the District cannot qualify for an Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) loan at zero percent interest. The town is applying for a NYS Department of Health grant that would cover 60 percent of the cost of constructing a much-needed water tower. The EFC offers a 30-year loan to cover the rest. Without the surveys however, the loan climbs to a three percent interest rate, which could double any added costs to the District’s residents. These surveys are completely anonymous. This loan application must be submitted by September 7 to qualify.
The District’s water quality continues to test as good, but DOH has expressed its high level of concern that water in the district reservoir, which they have declared to be unfit for drinking, could backflow into the distribution system, primarily because of a very old check valve it has deemed to be unsafe.
DOH has given the District three options, build a water tower, tie into the Petersburgh Water system, which would cost much more than a tower, and the Petersburgh Water District has already said it could not handle the demand, or face a mandatory boil water order. Such an order would be in place until another storage measure or source of distribution is found.
Town officials again want to point out that the surveys are completely anonymous, and no one will know the answers you put down or information you volunteer. For more information, please call the Town Hall.