GUILDERLAND — Water will one day flow in parts of the largely undeveloped west end of town.

The town board on Tuesday unanimously approved a $7.1 million plan to allow Delaware Engineers to bring water to Chandler Road and Wagner Road, and extend water lines into Church Road, Route 158, and Grant Hill Road.

The multi-million dollar proposal breaks down to $2.4 million for the Chandler Road extension; $1.8 million for the Wagner Road options; $2.1 million for Route 158; $500,000 for Church Road; and $300,000 for Grant Hill.

The individual customer costs are as follows:

— $456 per-year cost for customers hooking into the system;

— A $9.87 increase for existing customers; and

— A $1,750 one-time hookup fee.

The average Guilderland resident pays about $120 a year for municipal water.
"This estimate appears to be comparable to other water-system extensions," said Supervisor Kenneth Runion. "Chandler and Wagner roads are areas with very poor water."
It will "optimistically" be a two to two-and-a-half years before people can actually have water in their homes, according to Delaware Engineering, and the estimated costs include everything from planning to construction.

Runion told The Enterprise that looping the water extensions into the west end will not only improve residents’ water there, but will improve the rest of the system’s water as well.
"This looping helps to alleviate many of the problems you have with water," said Runion, stating lines that don’t loop tend to have higher levels of contaminants.
"Homes without a hookup could be right next to each other and one have a well that gives 50 gallons a minute and be crystal clear," said Runion. "The other house could have a well that only gives two gallons a minute and be full of sulfur."

There will be more than 100 new customers connecting to the West End Water System.

Board member and town Democratic chair, David Bosworth, questioned Delaware Engineering’s representative on how they came up with their particular options.
"We had to pick a cutoff point for the water extensions. Certainly we wanted to best serve the community," the engineering representative answered. "We could have just kept going and going," and it wouldn’t be financially feasible.

A possible interconnection with the town of Rotterdam was suggested during the meeting.

Runion later told The Enterprise that there has been no formal talk on such a deal between the two municipalities. He said he has talked to previous Rotterdam supervisors about the possibility in the past, but that "there have been some recent changes" in Rotterdam and he has not recently been in contact with town officials.

Currently, Guilderland has municipal water interconnections with the city of Albany and the town of Bethlehem; the Voorheesville interconnection is under construction.

These types of connections allow towns to still have water when there is a water main break and other similar emergencies.
"Interconnections benefit both municipalities," said Runion. "They are encouraged by the state comptroller."

Detailed maps of the new water extensions are available on the town’s website.

Community support

Several dozen residents came to the town board meeting from the extension areas, in support of bringing water to their homes.

One man from Wagner Road asked the board if adding municipal water to the area would open the proverbial floodgates for development in a predominately rural area.

Runion assured residents that the plans would stay true to the Rural Guilderland Comprehensive Plan.
"The West End Study ensures future growth will not be spawned by water systems," Runion said during the meeting. "Depot Road has seen no major growth issues"We can still maintain moderate levels of growth with a water system in the West End."

The supervisor also sites sewer service not being provided as a hindrance for development in the new water districts.
"Having water on Wagner Road has been an ambition for a very long time," said Jim Bruce from Wagner Road. "I can’t speak for everyone here, but I think everyone on Wagner has been waiting for this"I’m very much in favor of this proposition. Tomorrow is my birthday and I would very much like to have this as a present."

Stewart Dean of Wagner Road agreed.
"I figured out long ago that the existing water pressures are too low for my house because of the elevation," Dean told the board, and added, "The fire hydrant at the end of the line would give me a bigger discount on my fire insurance too."

Brian French who lives on Gay Lane, spoke at the meeting as well because he is buying a piece of property for his grandfather on Chandler Road.
"I grew up over there and some people don’t even have washing machines," said French. "I think it’s an issue of who has water and who doesn’t have water"Some people don’t have any water and need to have it trucked in"to do daily chores."

One woman asked about other extension projects.
"How much did existing residents have to pay for other extensions in town"" she asked. "If this extension is so great for all residents, shouldn’t the rest of town shoulder more than just 10 bucks a year""

Runion responded by saying the comptroller would not grant a water extension if a customer has to pay more than around $560 a year for regular use.

When the meeting was over many residents walked up to the town board members to personally thank them for their decision.

Other water works

The board also ended the prohibition of car washes connecting to municipal water and awarded the material bid for the Voorheesville-Guilderland Water District 72 extension, and awarding a $105,000 bid for a Water and Wastewater Department emergency van.
The new van will replace its current 1974 van. The money is coming from the department’s "capital reserve account," Runion said, which it has saved over several years in anticipation of a new van purchase. The old van will either be auctioned off or given to another department.

Additionally, Edward Zyniecki was provisionally appointed as environmental science technician as part of the town’s newly created department of Community Environment. Runion said that the town has been mandated to develop a storm water program.
Runion said the town will have to detect "illicit storm water discharge" in every stream and ditch in the designated area. This duty will be covered by the new Department of Community Environment.

Other business

In other business, the town board unanimously:

— Permanently appointed Carol Lawlor as deputy police chief from the Albany County Civil Service List;

— Permanently appointed Rodger E. Stone as zoning inspector from the Albany County Civil Service List;

— Awarded bids to Long Heating Incorporated for the town’s diesel fuel as recommended by the highway superintendent. Long Heating was the lowest bidder;

— Tabled the approval of the new employee manual until the Sept. 19 meeting; and

-— Met in an executive session to discuss a real estate contract negotiation and to discuss a tax certiorari settlement. The town decided to purchase a former plant shop across the street from Tawasentha Park for $175,000 for the Department of Parks and Recreation which will move from behind town hall. The department’s former space will be converted into office space for the town.
"We’re always looking for more office space," Runion said.

The tax settlement between the town and Fountain View, a senior residential complex off of Route 155, resulted in a $139.42 refund in town tax.