Boil water advisory remains, update expected over the weekend

CATSKILL―The Village of Catskill is at the final step of the process to lift the boil water advisory that has been in effect for more than two weeks.

A second set of water samples were taken on Friday and results are expected over the weekend.

Last weekend, nearly 7,000 gallons of drinkable water was brought in on a tanker for Village of Catskill water users who have been under a boil water advisory since the massive rainstorm that hit the region on July 29.

The truck, parked in the back lot at Dutchman’s Landing Park, has been available daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. for those impacted to take up to five gallons each day. The Village and Greene County Emergency Services partnered with New York State Homeland Security and Emergency Services to supply the 6,700 gallons of potable water until municipal water is deemed safe to drink.

The boil water advisory affects all water system users in the village, Jefferson Heights, Leeds and South Cairo.

“We have the largest reservoir out of all surrounding municipalities,” the Village stated Monday. “We received 11 inches of rain at the plant in under five hours really mixing things up.”

According to the Village, the Water Department had to get the turbidity― cloudiness or haziness―of the water under New York State’s required amount and keeping it there for six tests.

“From there the system will need to be flushed for several days and then have more water testing to be complete before the [State] Department of Health gives us the ok to put everyone back online,” the Village stated.

The Water Department began flushing the entire system this past Tuesday morning.

“At this time the boil water advisory still remains in effect,” the Village said in a statement on Friday. “We appreciate your patience and will continue to work to get the advisory lifted.”