Back-to-back water main breaks impact Millerton

MILLERTON — An aging municipal water system infrastructure and poor records have struck the Village of Millerton again. On Tuesday evening, Nov. 8, a water main broke near Traver Place. The village water department headed by Cole Lawrence worked all night to repair the damage.

Water was restored but then another break occurred somewhere and the water department and VRI, the village’s back up water operator, rushed to the scene again after a few hours’ sleep the night before.

Using old, inaccurate maps of the system they searched for the cut off valves and let water surge through hydrants as they tried to locate the second break. A large hole was excavated at the corner of Highland Drive and Maple Street. Eventually water was again restored, although a large, deep hole remains.

Asked for comment, Millerton Mayor Jenn Najdek explained the situation. “It has to do with an aging water system. It’s hard to know the age and location of all of the pipes and shut off valves so it takes longer to repair. Cole did an excellent job of keeping everyone on the crew safe.

We’re lucky to have a committed crew. The village continues to apply for water infrastructure grants. The most recent one helped us paint the water tank and replace our water meters and defective fire hydrants. Now New York State is requiring every water system to do a lead pipe inventory and eventually to remove and replace all existing lead pipes although it’s not clear who will pay for this.”

With regard to notifying residents of the water problem Najdek sighed. “It was the second day on the job for our newest water department employee and our new village clerk. We’re in a transition now to a new website which will enable us to alert residents in real time by email or text to important situations.”

Residents responded with understanding and creativity. One resident at the end of Highland brushed his teeth with Perrier. Lisa Wood who lives on Simmons Street thought of conditions in the Ukraine.

“We didn’t have heat, and that was the biggest problem. The first evening wasn’t so harsh and the house wasn’t so cold yet. By morning having two children it was more difficult. When the water returned, we were able to flush our toilets again and we jumped in the shower, but then the water went out again. Now our water is brown and rusty, but we have heat and can use the toilets.”

Scott Tyson on Highland Avenue was happy to share his experience.

“By the early evening on Tuesday, all I was getting from the taps was a weak trickle of water. On my way to vote around 7, I noticed the highway trucks set up at the end of Barton Street and stopped to ask one of the workers if what they were doing was connected to my water problem. He confirmed that it was and said that they would be working all night to get it restored. No water at all Wednesday morning so I called the Village Hall several times and finally got though around noon. The woman I spoke to said that there were still some lingering problems and asked for my address. My water came back shortly after I spoke to her only to go out completely a few hours later.”

“I realized there was a problem when I was walking on Rudd Pond Road and all of a sudden water was welling up from the pavement and into my shoes,” said Kate Stine, who lives on Traver Place.

“I texted Brian, my husband, right away and by the time I got back home he had filled every container in the house with water. Good thing!”