The last 20 minutes of the February 3 meeting of the Village Board in Highland Falls were centered on water. Five residents got up to question or complain about their “dirty” or “smells like bleach” water from the municipal system.

It started when resident Michael Joyce got up for public comment and asked Water Commissioner Peter Carroll if four filters have been replaced at the Water Plant. Carroll said he did not know and would find out the next day. Joyce expressed concern that Carroll did not know, saying the matter was discussed “a year and a half ago”, to which Carroll reminded him that he was not on the board at that time. But, he reiterated that he would find out.

In the meantime, Trustee Dr. Melanie Guerrero jumped in, saying that there are indeed four filters that are “70+ years old that have outlived their usefulness” which need to be replaced at “$400,000 each”.

“It is a problem,” she said.

Several other residents stood to complain about their water. “The village water is not okay,” Michael Leahy said, saying that his children “can’t take a bath because the water is brown; and if it isn’t brown, it smells like bleach”.

Mayor Joe D’Onofrio noted that the water at the Water Plant is tested daily and has not triggered any concerns from the Orange County Department of Health. He said the Water Department also tests weekly the water from a residence.

When Leahy continued to protest, Deputy Mayor Jim DiSalvo told him to call Village Hall and make an appointment for his home’s water to be tested. DiSalvo also noted that the report Guerrero mentioned is from several years ago, and said it was not an official state or county report, it was from a company the village hired to do an assessment of the state of the Water Plant.

“Yes, we need to put this in the plan to replace,” he said, but added the village was under no mandate to do so.

The filters sustained damage during the July 9, 2023 flooding, Engineer Todd Atkinson noted on Friday morning, when he, Water Plant Operator Dale Post, D’Onofrio, Carroll and resident Ed Dunn met for about an hour to talk about the reports of dirty water. They will be addressed as part of the FEMA-reimbursable projects continue.

D’Onofrio said one thing the village will host an open house at the Water Plant from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22 for community residents to visit it and see the operation. The mayor also reiterated that those suffering from dirty water can call Village Hall to make an appointment with a Water Department employee for water testing.

The board’s next meeting was rescheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 18 due to the Presidents Day holiday.