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Home My WebLink About2026-03-04_MINUTES_Town of Danby-West Danby Water System Study_KICKOFFTown of Danby West DanbyWater System Study Project Kick-Off Meeting MINUTES March 4, 2026 INTRODUCTIONS See sign-in sheet PROJECT TEAM HUNT: Bryan White – PM Andrew Rudy – Project Engineer Tom Klaseus – Regulatory Specialist / QAQC Dillon Taylor – GIS / Jr Engineer Kyra Jacobson-Evans - Environmental Mary Brown – Administrative Tammy Kunzman / Desiree Cady – Funding Jamie Gironda – Hanson Van Vleet – Hydrogeologist Town: Leonard Dodge – Main POC, utilize personal email on most back and forth/updates, can distribute as necessary to others WDWD email – goes to many people, does not need to be on every email Becky Sims – keep in the loop GOALS System evaluation to provide a practical and affordable water system update to meet current regulations, demands, etc. 10 States Standards (10SS), County DOH Evaluate based on the Intended Use Plan scoring criteria Main focus on: Distribution system improvements Life expectancy of existing mains Will coordinate with contractors that have done repairs on the mains Minteer Construction – Scott Cutter Main “breaks” have occurred potentially due to settlement at the joints Source redundancy Hanson Van Vleet will report on this District extension? Need to discuss timing/funding points, etc. FUNDING IUP – Intended Use Plan Annual or multi-year list Annual list requires an “approvable” Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) and cost estimate WIIA – Water Infrastructure Improvement Plan (announced generally around end of May when it’s due) Typically pays 60% of net eligible costs Requires SEQR, bond resolution, district formation (if applicable) CDBG – Community Development Block Grant – LMI 51% minimum Has recently been $2M with co-funding Will require an income survey USDA RD – USDA Rural Development? Per Becky, grant has less than $3M for NY in 2026. Therefore it’s competitive and may not be an option Does offer low-interest loans that could be competitive to EFC SRF financing Federal / State Earmarks? HUNT / Becky will continue to look into what may be appropriate SCHEDULE Data gathering, system assessment, direct reach-out (regulatory, local contractors, etc.), system modeling – March See the needs list included Secondary source evaluation / reporting – March-April Hanson Van Vleet (HVV) subconsultant Field testing (i.e. hydrant data, well pump mini step test, etc.) – April-early May PER – March-May SEQR/Env/Bonding (will require Town involvement/resolutions) – May-June IUP submittal (needs approvable PER) – May 29, 2026 This is the critical first submittal, therefore, will need buy-in from the community on alternative and costs WIIA submittal – Summer 2026 CDBG submittal– Summer 2027 Requires “shovel-ready” projects. Therefore, requires most design work to be completed. USDA RD submittal – rolling applications, no particular rush ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ITEMS Needs listincluded / expanded per Kick-off meeting *What will be a maximum dollar amount not to exceed per individual residence?* This will set the preferred alternative and how much work can be completed, or whether there needs to be phasing indicated in the PER Reports of: Black water and sulphur smells at ends of lines Brown water complaints Most complaints are smell (sulphur/chlorine) 1 customer noted with red staining issue Orange water complaints Laundry staining complaints Steve Winkley – Rural Waters had completed hydrogeology study around land fill County had moved some water lines during culvert replacement work NEEDS / HAVE? If the Town does not have all of the information below, that’s okay, but as much as can be provided the better. The following list is not all-inclusive, but it gives a good start and gets the conversation started. The list will tend to grow as we become more familiar with the system. Production / consumption numbers (preferably last 1-3 years to shown pattern) List of users (residential – single and multi-family, commercial, in/out-of district, in/out of Town) / EDUs if used Town utilizes Williamson Law Book billing Billing is 80%/20% - 80% in water bill, 20% is taxed 133 total potential connections including empty and vacant lots Certain funding will ask for the list of empty/vacant lots that could be utilized 116 billable Recorded daily flows / more specific flow data (peaks/etc.) Known issues of high peak/unaccounted for usage days (main breaks, service/corp stop issues/etc.) Meters (system and residential) info, age, issues, type Battery issues Review new meters with replaceable batteries O&M Current annual costs Debt service for water – if any, when is it paid off (None) Chemical usage (what, who supplies, how much used/stored, frequency, costs) Dilute to 6% Plans / Specifications / Engineering Reports Wellhouse / Well Well logs – potentially Jeff Purdue (Moody’s) Improvements? Went from turbine to submersible ~10 years ago Moody – original. P&J upgrades Storage tank in 2014 Operating pressure data Pump data / evaluations / capacity Cornell had a well water depth gauge – Town will look to find/get that information Distribution system Sizing / materials / known problem locations Any additional items to note such as booster pumps, PRVs (system or residential), flushing (automatic and/or manual), etc. 1 house with a residential booster pump to second floor (apparently is not allowed?) because if tank pressure is below 60 psi there’s no pressure Flushing completed 2 times / year Lead/copper submission documentation Break maps / list of locations of breaks Any leak detection completed – possibly from Mark Manzari Tank Operation levels, etc. Inspection reports Completed every 5 years by Liquid Engineering Any available CAD files? Analytical testing results / AWQR Any MCL violations Other noted increased analytics approaching violations – I/M have been noted Turbidity issues Documented chlorine/TTHM issues – residuals/locations/etc Flow / Pressure testing ISO report, if any Maybe? Town and/or third-party hydrant testing Potentially only have less than 500 gpm Any recent municipal projects that would have geotechnical information? Local well drillers that do work in the area? Berry Drilling Utter Well Drilling Hughson’s Well Drilling Generator information and electrical loading on the system/WTP Main in the fire house with manual disconnect in order to manage the pump Income survey Becky to work on, and will try to complete for the 2026 IUP April 9th or 10th will be next Town WD billing. Information can go in that if not sooner. Other Town owned properties, or areas known potential sites for new well/system locations if necessary Any nearby failing/contaminated/low-yield private drinking wells that could be brought onto the system RCAP under the private well assessment program based on health and safety can complete and evaluate Iron, Manganese, Arsenic, Nitrates, Nitrites, total coliform, e.coli, etc. Any flooding issues throughout the Town that could impact any part of the water system including the distribution mains None noted There are 3 creek crossings with no leak detection pits Private well testing? Metals Bac-t Additional Discussions: Metals