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Town shuts down flow from the plant into the water system until review from the health department
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Flow stopped within an hour of discovering possibly infected birds
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SELKIRK—The discovery of 12 dead geese near Bethlehem’s Clapper Road Water Treatment Plant has prompted town officials to shut down the facility out of concern for potential avian influenza, or bird flu.
Paul Penman, commissioner of public works, said staff found the migratory birds at approximately 2 p.m. Friday in the holding reservoir at the facility.
Town officials released a statement later that afternoon, informing residents that the plant had been taken offline.
“We immediately made the decision to shut down the flow of water from the plant out of an abundance of caution,” Penman said.
By 3 p.m., the town had stopped the flow of water from the Clapper Road plant to the Bethlehem water system. The town contacted the Albany County Department of Health, which elevated the issue to the state Department of Health and the state Department of Environmental Conservation for further review.
Bethlehem, which had previously suppressed water from the Vly Creek Reservoir in New Scotland last fall amid concerns over smelly water, was in the process of increasing output from that source. Officials said the town will also increase its water supply from the city of Albany, which sources water from the Alcove Reservoir.
“Increasing the supply from Albany is just opening a valve,” Penman said. “We have also activated the two wells in New Scotland at this time.”
Bethlehem’s water system draws from four sources: the Vly Creek Reservoir, the Clapper Road wellfield, two wells in New Scotland, and a wellfield in South Albany.
With Clapper Road offline, Penman said residents may notice a change in water pressure as the system adjusts.
“We are going to have to change settings on the system, but we should not see a disruption,” he said. “With a quick change of direction, unexpected things may happen, but we are prepared for that.”
Penman estimated that the Clapper Road plant could remain offline until early next week, pending a review by county and state health officials.
The town said it is acting with “an abundance of caution” following recent reports of confirmed bird flu cases along the Atlantic Coast.
Penman said taps from the Selkirk-based water plant have been temporarily shut down. However, he expressed confidence that the chlorine treatment regularly used in the water supply would eliminate the virus.
A 2007 study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that chlorine used in public water treatment cycles deactivates the bird flu virus.
According to the state health department, cases of bird flu were first reported in domestic poultry, wild birds, and some mammals as early as 2022. Officials said humans can contract the virus, though cases are typically limited to people who have direct contact with infected birds, such as poultry farm workers.
The Clapper Road Water Treatment Plant is fed by a wellfield on the property. Water is pumped from the wells and stored in a small reservoir before entering the plant for treatment.
“This is for collection and equalization,” Penman said. “It is not a long-term storage area.”
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