BETHEL — Several town residents spoke about problems with their water supply during public comment at the Bethel Town Board meeting on August 14. 

Resident Clay Ruede said, “There are multiple wells in Smallwood. All of a sudden there’s sediment or they run dry.” 

He added that tests for new developments merely study impacts on nearby wells, and the entirety of our conifer is not monitored. 

Supervisor Dan Sturm said there was a meeting with the DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) and engineers, which resulted in a plan to address these concerns and “steps we will take”.

Fellow town resident Michael Richardson claimed he has brown water. He also mentioned he has researched Proposed Law 7791-A, which allows high-density faith-based housing projects, potentially allowing hundreds of people to flock here, causing strains upon water and sewer systems. 

“The info I have says it’s active. I have signed up for activity reports and no-one answers emails or calls, so I don’t know what’s going on…I’ve looked it up online and contacted Aileen Gunther. She said she’s retiring and moving away from the area. That’s all I heard from her.”

Shannon Bruning said the water from her faucets “comes out in a little trickle and there’s a “gurgle” coming from the well. There’s going to be no water in the future.”

Resident Antonio Buono, who left New York City four years ago and built a new house in the area on a 50 acre plot of land, asked, “Who is responsible for the impact of more people using water and sewer? You got to see the effect of a multi-million-dollar commercial facility. Everything gets contaminated… It’s a problem not to be pushed under the table and carry on with business as usual.”

Joyce Caracci, of Smallwood, said, “For those concerned about water, there’s a place on the DEC website available for documentation of issues. It must be submitted by December 16, and the link is ‘Draft Regulations for Review to Protect Freshwater Wetlands’. We are in Region #3.”

Larry Seitelman, who has recently noticed 20-foot-long boats in the area, asked if there is enforcement of, or if there are any, laws about them. 

“They have an effect on the bottom of the lake and erosion,” he said.

He addressed the current water shortage in the Town of Fallsburg caused by lack of control over numerous housing projects. “When the water gets brown or runs out, what are we going to do as a town?”

Supervisor Sturm acknowledged the issues in Fallsburg and offered reassurances. 

“Bethel is not Fallsburg. We have extensive environmental reviews. We have procedures.”

Mary-Ellen Seitelman asked, “How much effluent is going into local streams? It’s a concern…Well-water cannot be measured until it’s dry. I had sulfur in my well (all of a sudden). These people have brown water. The emergency is now!”

Sturm said, “I don’t have a plan if the wells run dry. We do have emergency plans… We’d have to look it up and address your concerns.”

Councilwoman Wendy Brown offered to place calls to neighboring town governments to inquire about their emergency plans for water and gather insight into the problem.