Chautauqua County is moving forward on doing some water and sewer work in the north end of the county that will cost nearly $2.5 million.

During the recent County Legislature meeting, lawmakers approved the issuance of $1,612,000 in bonds for the Portland-Pomfret-Dunkirk Sewer District Infiltration and Inflow Reduction Project.

Legislature Chairman Pierre Chagnon, R-Bemus Point, said the work is required because there are old sewer lines in the Portland-Pomfret-Dunkirk Sewer District. “You’ve got sewage getting out into the ground and then when you’ve got a high rain event, the groundwater comes up, the groundwater comes in and they pump it to the Fredonia wastewater treatment plant and get charged to treat well water. So it’s a cost savings and it’s also an environmental benefit,” he said after the meeting.

But the project isn’t guaranteed just yet. Chagnon said they have to get grants to cover part of the costs. “If they get a grant, it’s not going to be 100% of the cost. The user charges will go up. The Administrative Board has made the decision that if we don’t get this amount of grant funding, we’re going to have to step back and figure out what another course of action is because it’s going to be too expensive for the users,” he said.

In a separate matter, the legislature agreed to rehabilitate the North County Water Industrial District Water Storage Tank. That project is expected to cost $863,000.

Chagnon said the county will either use money from the American Rescue Plan Act or use money from the federal Infrastructure Bill that was passed earlier this year. “If we get the (infrastructure) grant, then we can use that ARPA money for other projects,” he said.

Public hearings were held before the votes on both projects.

During the hearing for the water tower project, Legislator Bob Bankoski, D-Dunkirk, said he and Legislator Terry Niebel, R-Sheridan, worked together to bring this project forward. “It was one of the ARPA projects that originally didn’t make the cut. We did some lobbying. It’s a very key water storage facility that’s in the north county. It supports all our large manufacturers such as Nestle Purina, so it’s very important to rehabilitate this water tower, so we can provide that water source to these large employers to our area,” he said.

Niebel agreed and said they’re seeking other funding options as well. “If we get grants, then that ARPA funding can be repurposed at a later date,” he said.

During the hearing for the Portland-Pomfret-Dunkirk sewer district, there were a couple of residents who spoke out. One individual said he has been overcharged for years and other resident said the easements that the county has do not line up with where the sewer lines are. Both individuals were directed to speak with the Portland-Pomfret-Dunkirk Sewer Board of Directors.

Both resolutions were unanimously adopted.

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