New York Rural Water Association

We have a small community in our organization that has a tale of woe. The community is Raquette Lake. They have a spring fed reservoir that is basically on State land and the water main runs to the village on what is thought to be State land. The reservoir has very high turbidity due to high iron, manganese and tannin because of the pine and oak trees around it. The water going to the village is the color of tea. Needless to say, with such organic loading, the chlorine added to the water for disinfection creates TTHM’S, which we all know are a BIG no-no. The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) has put the community on boil water and strongly suggested that a filtration system be investigated or a well be installed to supply the community with safe potable water. The community was more than willing to comply. I have seen their "potable water" and I would more than comply. The community had pilot studies performed on filtering the existing reservoir water and the results were very positive. A type of filtration plant was picked and priced. Certified geologists also determined a well site, in case the filtration plant was not approved. Both of these scenarios were acceptable to the NYSDOH. The community proceeded to apply for loans and grants to various agencies for assistance in the completion of their proposed water improvement project. The word improvement, in the previous sentence is a kind way of saying development of a safe potable water supply for the residents of the community. The good news was that with the assistance of Bruce Goodall, of RCAP, they were able to secure enough money to go forward with the project. As soon as they started moving forward, the obstacles started popping up. First came the problem of the construction of the water plant. This would not be a large building because the filtration would be of the pressure type. Because of the existing location, on or very near to State land, New York State Department of Environment Conservation (NYSDEC) said "no permit". The problem was not only the building, but also the fact that these filters would have a backwash effluent and they didn’t permit that into the environment. The effluent could be piped to a drying bed with filter sand and underdrains that would remove any solids before the water would return to the environment. This was also considered a no-no because it would be detrimental to the environment. With the filtration basically shot down, the next step was to locate and drill a well and pipe it to the existing water main that goes from the reservoir to the community, where it has been since 1934 and approved by NYSDEC. I saw the document. In the document it also states, that should it be necessary to expand or make improvements to this system, the approval was there. I can’t recall the exact words, but it was perfectly clear. As soon as this avenue was approached there came some more obstacles. DEC again said no because the drilling would take place on a piece of State owned land and the equipment would have to cross State land. After looking at the site and evaluating it, I felt that the well drilling rig could drive in on the EXISTING road, drill the well, and leave a 10 or 12 inch casing sticking out of the ground 18 inches, as is prescribed. After 2 to 3 weeks, the casing would haze up and you couldn’t find it unless you had a metal locator. I am very surprised that DEC, in this case, would be so opposed to an improvement to a potable water system. I have worked with these people and find that they are very helpful in matters such as this. Typically they provide valuable guidance and direction towards a successful outcome. Possibly they are receiving pressure from groups such as the Adirondack Park Association, Adirondack Mountain Club and the Sierra Club. These are the people who would oppose this project. Neither of these is a regulatory agency, but they are groups with personal agendas that hamper many projects that would benefit MAN.These environmentalist groups are resisting any intrusion into the "State" land by the community of Raquette Lake, in search for a safe, sanitary, potable water supply for the residents and their children. The consensus of the environmentalists is that nature should not be disturbed and that allowing this community to obtain water would start a president for future disruption of the environment by others with deliberate agendas. Basically the belief is that the environment should be kept pristine and be only admired and not disturbed. I too am a lover of nature, but also believe that man has dominion over nature and as long as he uses it and doesn’t abuse it, nature will be productive and remain beautiful. If we are not to "mess" with nature, why do we fight forest fires, regulate rivers and create flood plains, control avalanches, remove snow and sand roads. If we didn’t alter nature and create roads, railroads, waterways and airports, how would we get to see the beauty in nature? Along most of our roads we see "wet lands", that we must protect. These are not wetlands, these are swamps created by the builders of the roads when they obstruct the natural drainage and kill the existing forest. The roadways are strewn with regulatory signs, advertising signs, road-marking signs, and DEC trail markers for trails hacked through the environment for mans enjoyment. How come all these things can be done to the environment? All of these things are also necessary for man to exist. I have to restate that I too am in love with the environment and nature. There was a time that we would walk to school and to work and to see friends and go shopping. No cars, roads or pollution. We had a dug well and a hand pump or a rope and bucket for a water system, we survived. We went out in the back yard to the outhouse and utilized our sewer treatment plant. We put wash water into gardens. We burnt wood and put ashes into compost and gardens. We caught rain when the well wasn’t too good. We did all these things and made it to now, when we have regulations from numerous agencies that would take pages to list, that say they want to improve our health, welfare and lifestyle and when we try to comply, we find that some of the agencies won’t let us comply with what another agency orders us to do. I do believe that the drinking water standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the NYSDOH and the wastewater standards set by NYSDEC are a wonderful thing in as much that they promote health and well being and protect the environment but, we must all work together to reach our goals, our needs and be in compliance.The community of Raquette Lake has unacceptable water by NYSDOH standards and must filter or go to a well source with higher quality water. The community is more than willing to comply and do one of the before mentioned actions. Without NYSDEC’s permission to install a water filtration plant (not a big one), nor the drilling of a potable water well on or very near to State land, what can they do? In the first part of this story you have read the tale of woe and now let’s try and figure out where to go. I believe that the residents of this community should keep petitioning the regulatory agencies, and they should be persistent. The concerned community leaders have to keep hounding the hold back agencies, which they are doing. Do the agencies, concerned groups, or clubs that are hampering the water improvement in Raquette Lake realize that they, in fact, are endangering the health and welfare of the children of the community? This whole problem could be eliminated if the involved groups would sit down and set forth a plan of accomplishment, a way to achieve it, and a set of rules to be followed so as not to hurt or endanger anything. I do hope that the concerned NYSDEC, the NYSDOH, the US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY and any other concerned clubs, organizations or regulatory agencies will meet and discuss a solution to Raquette Lake’s serious problem without malice or agendas. No one in his or her right mind wants to hurt or take away another human’s right to life. In our beautiful country we have people who are trained to assure for us the best of everything, now we have to get them together to really help us get the necessities, like potable water, into our home with the least possible hindrance. Those involved would appreciate any and all help or advice from any State or Federal agencies with this for decent potable water. Any system that has gone through a hassle similar to this, please share your advice, and we may have to go the route that you did and hope for better results. Please note; we can’t do individual wells due to septic systems and there is no land available in the area for a well with safe potable water. All the larger plots of land in the area of this community, that could support a community well, are of no clear title or state owned, therefore unattainable. Compliance, health and welfare are the most important goal of this community. Please help, if you can.

If anyone would like to be in touch with me to provide advice for this community, just comments, or possibly another horror story, please E-Mail me at hraska@francomm.com, I will be glad to hear from you. Any possible help will be more than greatly appreciated, thanks.