Water Commission

Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Water Commissioners City of Norwich, New York June 10, 2026 Present: Steve Simmons, Doug Wilson, Sue Dietrich, John Kolb, Gigi Baas, Commissioners. Tim Miller, Superintendent David Coish, Assistant Superintendent Absent: Alison Locke, Jennifer Kelley Guests: David Forster, Nick DeRensis The meeting was called to order by Steve Simmons at 6:34 PM. Doug made a motion to accept the May minutes. Sue seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. It was decided to move “Old Business” forward so that the discussion with the guests, who were present to discuss a dry fire hydrant on city property on West Shore Road, could begin. Mr. Forster explained that the Lake Association had spent $1500 for an engineering design for the hydrant. He distributed the drawings and stated that the DEC had approved the design. The South New Berlin Fire Department will assume ownership of the hydrant once completed and will cover liability issues during the construction phase. It was suggested that a locked cap be fitted to the hydrant to discourage tampering, and that all mutual aid fire departments be advised of the location of the two hydrants and given keys. The drawings showed that the pipe will remain full of water at all times, and there was a question as to the danger of freezing in winter. Tim asked who would be responsible for the long-term maintenance of the hydrant, and whatever liability issues may arise. Steve explained that the Mayor and Council have yet to finalize the rules and requirements for construction on lake adjacent city property, and that the Common Council had the final say on permitting on city land. Mr. Forster reported that the Chenango Lake Association had received water testing equipment from CSLAP, or the Citizen Statewide Lake Assessment System (thank you, John). This device measures the level of oxygen at different depths in the lake a total of eight times during the summer months. The results of the testing will be posted on the CSLAP website in the fall, which will be available to the public. Correspondence: None. Water Treatment: Regarding the aluminum issue, Tim assured the commission that he and Dave are in touch with Megan Gilbert and they hope to hear from her soon. The issue will ultimately be resolved by the DEC in Albany. Wastewater: Flow rates are down due to the lack of rain, which indicates that infiltration is occurring. Repairs of the bar screen should begin in four to six months. The primary clarifier will be repaired by Hubbard’s Welding. Old Business: No news about permitting or enforcement of activities on city property. It is suspected that the Mayor and Council are in discussions with the city's attorney and insurance company in this regard. A discussion of the Capital Improvement Plan prepared by the Laberge Group will be discussed at the next meeting of the commission. New Business: It was reported that major violations of the current rules are being committed by the owners of lot #112.09-1-5.1 on West Shore Road, including, among other things, the use of PT lumber and excavating on steep slopes. Alderman Loomis and Mayor Jeffrey were notified, and they said that they would visit the site. Both the property owner and the contractor should be aware of the rules by now and are choosing to disregard them. Adjournment: John made a motion to adjourn the meeting, which was seconded by Sue. In keeping with past practice, meetings will be suspended during the months of July and August. The next meeting will be held on September 9th, 2026, at 6:30 PM at the Sewer Plant.