At the October 19 meeting of the Highland Falls Village Board Mayor Jim DiSalvo said that the municipality has been approached by a company which might be able to help the brown water problem in some parts of the village.

“We had a meeting with someone today whose company puts an additive in water pipes to treat galvanized steel pipe buildup,” DiSalvo said. “We’re going to have more representatives of the company in soon to discuss it further, but they think it could dramatically assist with these issues while we work on a long-term plan.”

He said the cost was between $4000 and $6000, and added that it is not an immediate fix because there would need to be Department of Health and other approvals.

“Many of our old pipes are full of sediment,” the mayor said, addressing questions from two residents – Ron Malecot and David McCormick – about their brown water.

McCormick recognized that the village’s water system is 80+ years old. “But has anyone been to Washington or Albany to look for help in replacing those old pipes,” he asked? McCormick said he sees brown water all the time.

Malecot, who has said frequently that he has a water filter system in his house, asked about changing the major filters at the water plant.

While that has come up in the past, DiSalvo contends that “even if I was magically able to change out the filters at the plant, you’re still going to have brown water in some places”.

“It’s the lines, in the distribution system,” he said. “Long ago galvanized steel pipes are what were used because they were cheap and we have them running rampant through our community. These pipes just fill up with sediment.”

The mayor said the Village Board and its representatives “are constantly looking for grants”.

McCormick also asked if there are any plans to loop dead-end pipes with others. DiSalvo said that while that is always the goal – allowing for better water flow – it’s not always geographically possible in a community like Highland Falls.