The Village Board in Lake George is considering imposing a temporary halt on new commercial property water connections in the town outside of the village to carry out a water study lasting 10 to 12 weeks.
The board is set to vote on the resolution during the December meeting, with the moratorium planned to last for six months.
According to a statement from the village, the board has enlisted C.T. Male Engineering to conduct an assessment of the village’s water system to assess solutions for the area’s increasing demands.
Supervisor Dennis Dickinson of Lake George Town mentioned that the proposed development of housing at the former Water Slide World site by Richard Schermerhorn played a significant role in the decision to launch the study.
Dickinson explained, “We’ve received interest from developers for significant water-intensive projects, and while the village currently has sufficient water capacity, they want to ensure they can accommodate the required volume for these projects, prompting the need for the water study.”
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The village of Lake George water filtration system currently serves over 1,800 residents and businesses in the town and village of the Lake George. The town and village boards have agreed to conduct a study looking at options to continue to provide water services to the growing development in the area. (Dec. 2022)
Although both the town and village have water treatment plants, the town’s facility in Diamond Point serves under 100 residents with a well water system, while the village caters to over 1,800 residents in the town and village through more than 1,400 water connections.
Presently, water from Lake George is extracted by a pump station on Beach Road and transferred to a modern filtration station on Ottawa Street by the village, then distributed throughout the system.
The village extends its water supply to areas north to Hearthstone Park on Route 9N, south to Route 9L, and the east side of the lake.
The village’s release not only mentioned the redevelopment plans for the former Water Slide World site but also the recent transformation of the former Ramada Inn into residences and several condo projects on Route 9L and Bloody Pond Road as motivations for the water study and exploration of service options.
The former home of Water Slide World is being demolished this fall as real estate developer Richard Schermerhorn plans to build housing on the property. The town of Lake George is considering a water study due to these development plans, although they have not yet been officially submitted.
Village officials are worried that the current filtration plant may not handle the anticipated increase in volume. To address this concern, they are collaborating with the Town Board to fund a $43,000 study, expected to last 12-14 weeks.
The purpose of the study is to evaluate the current system’s capacity, identify potential issues or constraints, and propose design improvements to accommodate more customers in the planned development areas.
Mayor Bob Blais emphasized the importance of not impeding the town’s growth. He stated that they aim to provide water service to all customers in both village and non-village areas while ensuring there is a sufficient reserve for the village.
Jana DeCamilla, a staff writer covering Moreau, Queensbury, Warren County, and Lake George, can be contacted for further information at 518-903-9937 or jdecamilla@poststar.com.
