Crawford is moving closer to water improvements in the Pine Bush Water Supply with the authorization of Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C to prepare a Map and Plan (M&P) for the $4.7 million Dwaar Kill-Pine Bush Water Supply System. The plan includes the installation of a treatment building, pumps, accessories and transmission main to connect the Dwarr Kill wellfields to the existing Pine Bush Water Supply. This project is in response to the Orange County Water Authority’s and the Orange County Department of Planning’s goal to protect the region’s existing water supply while meeting the demands of a growing population. Pine Bush has had problems with its water in the past, both in quantity and quality. “We’re excited to finally get this project moving,” town supervisor Charles Carnes said. The project is comprised of two phases. The first phase includes the use of existing test wells to test the water for quantity and quality. If that testing is successful, three production wells will be built within 15 ft of the test wells. The second phase would be connecting the three completed production wells to a new treatment building and out to the Pine Bush Water Supply. If approved, the treatment process will include chlorination and the removal of iron and manganese. The treatment building would be constructed on county land off Hill Ave. The projected costs of construction for the project in 2020 is about $4.7 million. The town will apply for a $2.8 million grant through the Environmental Facilities Corporation for phase two. The town will also seek other grants and funding sources. It will publicly bid the construction of the proposed improvements. Carnes said the town needs the grant to complete the project, so if Crawford doesn’t receive it then the town will seek other grants and sources of funding. However, Carnes said the town has a good chance of receiving it. The main goal of the project is to develop wells that provide enough water for the projected 2045 maximum daily demand of 430 gallons per minute, or about 600,000 gallons a day. Crawford water and sewer superintendent Tom McKelvey said the current maximum safe yield in Pine Bush is about 177,000 gallons per day. A safe yield is the amount of water that can be withdrawn from a system without producing negative effects, such as running low on water in the future. McKelvey said the water district has exceeded its safe yield every day in the month of August, running between 20 and 30 percent over the yield. Residents also consume the most water in the summertime. The town currently draws its water from three wells, down from five wells two years ago. The Holland Ave well closed in 2016 while another well closed in 2017, which has put a strain on the amount of water available to the district. McKelvey said the project will also eliminate the need for water filtration systems in homes that filter Crawford’s hard water. “We’re trying to get away from that and treat the water at the source,” McKelvey said. According to a 2017 water report, the hardness of Crawford’s water was measured at about 13 grains (the unit of measurement for water hardness). Anything over 10 grains is considered very hard. Hard water is not a health hazard, but it does put a strain on plumping and leaves a film, a nuisance for bathing, cleaning and laundering. The public hearing for the proposed improvements to the Pine Bush Water District Facilities will be on Aug 27 at 5:30 p.m.

By Laura Fitzgerald lfitz@tcnewspapers.com