State grant possible for potable water to serve Shelter Island’s public buildings in Center

The Town Board anticipates applying for a New York State grant that could help fund a potable water system to serve several public buildings in the Center.

This grant possibility just became available as part of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) stated commitment to ensure all New Yorkers have access to potable water.

Town Engineer Joe Finora outlined the proposal at the July 11 Town Board work session, pointing out there are issues in the drinking water in each of the targeted buildings: Shelter Island School, the Community Center that also houses the American Legion Post, the Town Hall complex, Center Firehouse, Police Headquarters, Justice Court, the Shelter Island Library and possibly extensions to the EMS Building and the Senior Center.

Another possible inclusion could be the Presbyterian Church used by the town for its senior luncheons on Mondays and Fridays and Meals on Wheels program. Money was spent several years ago to solve high nitrate levels in the water at the church, but linking it into the system would save time and money on testing, maintenance and the liability if that system were to fail, the town engineer said.

An application for a grant must be filed by the end of this month and could pay up to 60% of the cost of water mains and connections to the buildings, with the town’s 40% contribution incorporated into a surcharge by the Suffolk County Water Authority to customers.

The SCWA — an independent public-benefit corporation and not a governmental organization — would be managing the system and determining where wells need to be installed to ensure there’s an adequate water supply of potable water.

The cost of the water mains and connections is anticipated to be $5 million, meaning the state grant would cover $3 million if the application is successful. The $2 million balance would be paid over time through a surcharge on each participating customer, eliminating the need to pay out $2 million in a single year. What’s more, the town could also reach out for other sources of grants to decrease that $2 million balance, Mr. Finora said.

The plan is currently being labeled the West Neck Water District Extension, though Supervisor Gerry Siller and Lisa Shaw, who heads the West Neck Water District Board, raised questions about that title.

The town engineer said under the arrangement, the surcharge West Neck Water (WNW) District customers pay for their system managed by SCWA, would be reduced because the public buildings would be customers, offsetting the surcharge for West Neck Water  customers.

It would give those customers a layer of redundancy with an extra water supply at their disposal. That could allow for more users to join the West Neck Water system, in addition to adding the public buildings as customers, Mr. Finora said.

The extension would have its own water supply from wells that would have to be located at sites from the water main and running along North Midway Road, making connections to the buildings.

The buildings currently present a liability for the town and cost money for monitoring and operating filtration systems as temporary stop gaps, Mr. Finora said.

Contaminant problems vary, with some affected by high nitrate levels. Others have other contaminants and the town is currently responsible for monitoring and treating them to keep contamination levels in check. A contaminant from petroleum products called MTBE is a threat at the Senior Center, he said.

Filing an application for a state grant doesn’t obligate the town to execute a proposal, Mr. Finora said. “This becomes a very attractive financial opportunity for the town to lay a key piece of infrastructure that can serve multiple purposes,” he said. “It’s sort of a once in a long time opportunity to get assets and infrastructure at about 25% of the cost.”

Still pending is exploration of SCWA installing wells in Sachem’s Woods that could provide sources of potable water to property owners in the Center. Even if the town picked up the cost of a main line from the well, those interested homeowners would have to bear the cost of connecting their houses.

Also pending is the re-examination of a septic system that could serve many of the same public buildings that would benefit from the potable water proposal.

The school has opted to install its own commercial septic systems rather than participate in an area-wide system with a single treatment plant, or individual I/A systems for the other Center buildings.