(The boil-water order was canceled Thursday morning, September 12. A brief report has been posted.–Ed.)
CHATHAM–Village Mayor John Howe reported Tuesday, September 10 that the major water main break has been repaired and the valve at the water tower has been replaced. He said in a press release that the repair was completed by the village Department of Public Works (DPW) crew just before midnight and the water tower was refilled early Tuesday morning.
Water service has been restored to the Edgewood Acres Mobile Home Park, however a boil water advisory is still in effect for the entire area served by the village water system, which includes the Village of Chatham, Edgewood Acres and the structures along state Route 66 in the Ghent hamlet. The boil water advisory will remain until samples taken from various locations, including the Chatham School District, are tested by the Columbia County Health Department and approval is given to lift the order.
At a Village Board meeting Monday evening, Mayor Howe said village officials were using an “abundance of caution” when it came to the boil water advisory. He told residents that he “can’t give a time frame” for when the advisory would be lifted. He did say there was a spike in water usage when the village announced the water main break and asked residents to conserve water.
Mayor Howe said in the release that county and state Emergency Management offices provided trailer tanks of potable water which arrived by truck after midnight. The trailers are located at the Edgewood Acres mailboxes and at the Chatham Firehouse on Hoffman Street. Potable water was scheduled to be available from the trucks at least through Tuesday. Before the water tanks arrived, the Chatham Fire Department handed out hundreds of bottled water Monday evening.
The county Board of Supervisors declared a state of emergency on Monday and lifted it on Tuesday. “Our gratitude is hereby extended to all departments and agencies of Columbia County, the Village of Chatham and the Town of Ghent for their hard work and due diligence to remedy this emergency so quickly,” said Matt Murell, chairman of Board of Supervisors in a release.
Village notices on the water situation will be provided to all media sources including posting on social media. The village’s website is at villageofchatham.com and the village also has a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/VillageofChathamNY
At the Village Board meeting the mayor said the Village Police Department was working with Sheriff’s Office on safety issues.
In the release, the mayor thanked all the agencies involved, especially the Village DPW crew, Village Clerk, Fire Department and Police Department.
