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by Dan Veaner
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Friday, 05 May 2006 |
Village Mayor Don Hartill told Trustees that he is considering helping residents get their sump pumps into compliance with local law. "It is not legal to attach your sump pump in your basement to the sanitary sewer," Hartill said in Monday's Trustee meeting. "I know there are a number of such installations and I am debating what to do about it."
 (left to right) Trustees Larry Fresinski, Lynn Leopold, Mayor Donald Hartill, Village Attorney David Dubow, Trustees Frank Moore, John O'Neill (standing) Planning Board Chairman Ned Hickey | Sump pumps discharge water from residents' basements to keep them from flooding. They are allowed to empty into the storm sewer, because they only discharge water. But hooking them to the sanitary sewer raises the amount of discharge into the sewer. "The difficulty is that the sewer lines have a certain capacity," explains Hartill. "DEC monitors that closely. You can exceed the capacity, I think, one month a year." But he says the Village exceeded that allowed capacity. The Kline Road bypass was built to bring the Village into compliance.
The next step for the Village is a new sewer line along Remington Road. "That's a major investment of several million dollars," Hartill says, noting that it would be worth the investment to offer help to residents now to keep the Village from having to build more capacity into the system for as long as possible.
Hartill said he was floating the idea to get Trustees reaction to his idea to write a letter to all Village homeowners explaining the problem and offering some assistance in getting into compliance. He noted that Village employees have seen pumps that are hooked into the sanitary sewer when visiting residences for other purposes.
Trustees debated the pros and cons of instituting an inspection, saying that residents would be more likely to comply in anticipation of having their pumps inspected. Trustees Frank Moore, John O'Neil and Larry Fresinski suggested that inspections would provide more motivation for residents and contractors to get into compliance. Moore suggested a carrot and stick approach, first offering amnesty and assistance, but following up with the prospect of an inspection and fines. "Give amnesty for past sins and give a little help to rectify it," he said. "If you can advertise it and get people to confess themselves."
But officials noted that inspections would be costly and time consuming, and Hartill said that offering financial assistance could help the Village reach its goal without necessitating inspections. "This is a way of inducing people to do the right thing," he said. "It's the only way that I can see that would actually accomplish it."
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