We are living in a period where serious questions relating to climate change exist. A public forum held by the Colonie Town Board on April 20 clearly illustrated why the Town of Colonie should not sell the Stony Creek Reservoir water supply.
The head of the Latham Water District confirmed that there is no firm alternative supply of water for the people of Colonie if the reservoir is sold. This admission raises the question as to whether the sale would lead to a reliability problem at the Latham Water District in the future. A consulting firm hired by the Town of Colonie to examine the issue also illustrated that there would be a water system reliability problem if the Stony Creek reservoir is sold. I sent a letter to the Colonie Town Board asking them to keep the reservoir and to end the proceeding because the people of Colonie would be left with an unreliable supply of water if the asset is sold.
The American Water Works Association has a special manual entitled “Climate Action Plans Adaptive Management Strategies for Utilities” which encourages water utilities to conduct careful studies to manage their future supplies of water. This is not the time for the Town of Colonie to abandon the citizens of Colonie by selling off a major supply of available water.
Kevin M. Bronner
Loudonville
