It's rather interesting that Mrs. Destito is worried about contaminated wells in Kirkland when her district is Utica, Rome, Whitestown, Floyd, and Marcy. It's also rather interesting that certain elected officials in western Oneida County think that they should just be able to tap into "city" water that comes from Herkimer County, when alternative supplies are readily available from other sources.
The engineering study conducted to determine the best source of supply for Verona (as part of Verona's permit application) concluded that among 3 alternatives (the City of Rome, the Onondaga County Water Authority, and the MVWA), the MVWA was the least cost effective solution.
However, Verona ended up going with MVWA because MVWA was willing to have its ratepayers subsidize the cost of the waterline project through a little shell game. According to the agreement between Verona and MVWA, Verona and the Indian Nation would be able to credit the cost of putting in the pipeline against a portion of their water bills for the next 30 years! Such a deal! That means that the MVWA customers in Utica, New Hartford, etc. will be paying part of Verona's share of MVWA's system operation and maintenance. We can speculate why MVWA would enter into such a one-sided agreement, but I'll leave that to the reader. Suffice it to say that Verona and the Indian nation will share a water supply system (including an expensive treatment plant) already substantially paid for by Greater Utica residents without paying an "entry fee" for their share. A large swath of land crossing the middle of Oneida County will suddenly become more valuable with the addition of "city" water, enriching certain landowners at other people's expense.
While MVWA will get some new customers to share its costs, it will also be taking on the responsibility of servicing a VASTLY INCREASED service area. Projections anticipating growth within MVWA's existing service area, when added its expressed intentions to serve Verona, the Indian Nation, Sherrill and Vernon, will pretty much put MVWA at the limit of its treatment plant --- and make it very difficult for the Utica area (which is Mrs. Destito's district) to accept a new large user, such as a Chip- Fab.
Why the well worry, indeed, Mrs. D.?
1 comment:
It wouldn't have anything to do with her and her husband's dealings with certain enterprises in "western" Oneida County, would it?
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