RENSSELAERVILLE — The federal government is now involved in Rensselaerville’s ongoing efforts to improve its water system after the United States Environmental Protection Agency issued an administrative order related to the disinfection-byproduct levels that the system has struggled to contain on and off for years, as The Enterprise has previously reported.

Those working on the project believe EPA involvement may help with securing state funds for a $2.5 million upgrade to the hamlet’s water system.

The specific contaminants are trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and HAA5 — a group of five haloacetic acids — which develop as a result of the disinfection process. They are regulated, but not an immediate risk to human health. 

Water and Sewer Advisory Committee Chairman Ed Csukas told the town board at its Aug. 22 meeting that the administrative order essentially asks the committee to demonstrate it’s “taking [the problem] seriously,” and to lay out plans for short-term solutions that will mitigate the potential for excessive chemical levels as the committee continues to work toward a long-term overhaul of the system.

“We aren’t necessarily in trouble by the EPA,” explained Jerrine Corallo, of Sustainable Growth, the consulting group with which the committee has been working. “We are being called upon to provide a corrective action plan. Basically, they’re asking us to document what we’ve already been doing, write that down in a plan, and they did indicate on the calls that all the work we’ve done … demonstrates that we’re taking this problem seriously.” 

Csukas explained that the benefit of EPA involvement is it allows the committee to point to this administrative order as evidence of urgency as it seeks funding. It also, earlier this summer, managed to complete an income study that found the Rensselaerville hamlet that the district serves qualifies for hardship.

Corallo said that the longer-term water project is on New York State Department of Health’s draft drinking-water intended-use plan, which is the list the state uses for funding decisions, and that it’s “very high on the list.”

“By October 1, when we should have received communication from them by that point about any award amounts,” Corallo said.

She added that the project will cost about $2.5 million and the state is “committed to helping finance the project,” and that the hardship designation means they can get financing interest-free. 

“It’s really good news,” Corallo said, “but there’s a lot of work that needs to be done now to get to the construction phase and apply for some more grants to sort of offset additional costs and things like that.”