Our water system serves 45 residences (about 150 people), the Charlotte Valley School, a post office, a church, a restaurant, a convenience store, a hotel (an AirBNB), and the Davenport Fire House through 50 connections. Our water source is two 130 foot deep groundwater wells which are located behind the Charlotte Valley school.
The water is treated with chlorine prior to distribution at 5 gallons of 12% concentration per month. The school is in compliance with the pesticide and chemical restrictions within 200 ft. of our wells. The well heads are caged, set in concrete and locked. The depth and location of the wells insures maximum protection against contamination.
As is usual with the creation of a water district, the town took out a loan (bond) to pay for the infrastructure. That loan is repaid through annual installments, a share of which is reflected on property tax bills for those in the district.
Those in the district who use water are billed once or twice a year. The bill is known as Operation and Maintenance (Usage). As there are no meters, usage is based on the type of property. A one family residence is billed one unit; duplexes, two units; apartments, the number of units. A post office is billed one unit. A church (unless it has activities that use water over and above that for worship services) is billed one unit. A commercial property is billed two units. Any unpaid bill is charged a late fee and added to that property's next property tax bill.
The New York State Department of Health requires periodic testing for numerous substances. If you are in the district, you are probably already familiar with the procedure to sample your water.
Annual reports are mailed to the property owners in the first half of the following year. For example, the annual quality report for 2020 was mailed out in the first quarter of 2021. A copy of the 2021 budget was also included. The reports are also posted on this website.
New York State has a program to help low income residents pay their water and sewer bills. To learn about the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP), go to the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance