NEW SCOTLAND — After a decade of planning for a $3 million water district, the town has authorized bidding for the New Salem project.

At a special town board meeting held Monday, the three members of the New Scotland Town Board in attendance voted to authorize going to bid for the New Salem Water District.

Supervisor Thomas Dolin, and council members Douglas LaGrange and Patricia Snyder all voted to set a bid date next week, then begin advertising for the work.

The project, in the works for about the past 10 years, aims to bring water to over 150 homes in the New Salem area. Presently, 75 of these residences are receiving water from Bethlehem.

The neighboring town has its reservoir in New Salem and homes along the pipeline had received Bethlehem water for decades.

The remaining homes are using wells, which sometimes have quality or quantity problems, Dolin told The Enterprise on Tuesday.

The new water district, engineered by StanTech, will consist of water purchased from Bethlehem by New Scotland, which will distribute the water.

“We were successful in getting the 30-year interest-free loan,” for the project, Dolin said, “because it was cooperative between two municipalities.”

The loan, from the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, is for $3 million, which covers engineering design, bonds, and the construction.

The town hopes to have all bids back by the end of August so construction can start in September.

However, residences may not actually receive water service until the spring, Dolin said.

In other business, the board set a public information meeting regarding the Krumkill Road reconstruction project for Aug. 13 at 6:30p.m., before the regular town board meeting, and appointed a new animal-control officer to replace someone who resigned.