Well water
problems persist

By CHARLIE BUTERBAUGH

NARROWSBURG, NY — After an August 11 meeting, Ronald Schalck expressed frustration that his attempts to move the Tusten Town Board to address high concentrations of salt in Narrowsburg’s wells have been ignored.

Tusten’s Water and Sewage Superintendent said his July well water analysis showed 120 parts per million (mg/l) of sodium chloride in both Well #1 and Well #2, which registered in November at 110 mg/l and 72 mg/l, respectively. Both wells are located under sand and gravel at Narrowsburg’s flats, a collection for area run-off and salt de-icer used by the county on Route 97 and by the town on its roadways.

When Schalck’s March results showed a two-fold increase in Well #1’s concentration during the winter of 2002/03, he decided to recommend alternative methods of de-icing roads to the town board. But, “the democratic point of view got nothing across, and I am now willing to look into alternative approaches,” he said.

On Monday, Schalck discussed the problem with Carl Weed of the New York State Department of Health, who confirmed that since the two wells’ concentrations are too high for remediation, water should instead be drawn from Narrowsburg’s Well #3 on Route 97, where sodium concentrations remain under 2 mg/l, or, a new well should be drilled.

Supervisor Richard Crandall said a new well could cost the town up to $70,000. Tusten received an Upper Delaware Council grant for “a couple thousand dollars” to conduct a surface water run-off drainage survey, which could lead to a proposal to build a drainage system that would divert run-off to the river, Crandall said.

Salt concentrations hover around 10 mg/l in the Upper Delaware, according to Schalck, and the drainage probably would not negatively affect the river’s habitat, he said. But, “due to the pressures of business, the town has not been able to do the survey, and we received an extension on the grant,” Crandall said.

Disappointed, Schalck said the survey will not take place until spring. Further, he believes salt concentrations in Wells #1 and #2 are too high to provide water to the people of Tusten.

“They’ve asked me to look into a salt filter and look for a grant to pay for it, but I don’t think this would solve the problem, and neither does the Department of Health,” he said.

Schalck said he doesn’t need town board approval to draw water temporarily from Well #3, and he feels the town’s money would be best spent on hydrogeology studies and finding locations for new wells.

In other business, the board heard from Willie Shaffer and his friends, skateboarders who sought the board’s response to the idea of a skateboard park in Narrowsburg.

“We have nowhere to go, and we just want a safe place to skateboard and not get in trouble,” Shaffer said.

While board members expressed concern about injury and incurring costs of insurance and liability, Town Clerk Carol Wingert suggested that the boys form a committee and seek contributions from the community.

And, after a discussion with residents of Luxton Lake, the board decided to deliberate on changing road names identical to First, Second and Third Streets on the flats. The coincidence has caused confusion for 911 emergency services, but Luxton Lake residents do not want to be inconvenienced by address changes; they believe the problem could be solved with a 911 computed system that relies on additional information to locate emergencies for the ambulance corp. and fire departments.

Finally, after an executive session to consider 12 applicants for the open Water and Sewer Clerk position, the board decided to hire Jocelyn Strumpfler, who has extensive experience as a legal secretary, Crandall said.