Fallsburg's Water Crisis Was Foreseeable - and Preventable

Dear Friends and Neighbors

Fallsburg residents are being told that steep water and sewer rate hikes are necessary to fix a crumbling infrastructure. We are also told this crisis is sudden, unavoidable, and must be addressed with urgency. But the truth is this: the problems we face today were foreseeable, documented, and preventable — if only our town leadership had acted responsibly more than a decade ago.

In 2011, the engineering firm CDM Smith prepared a Water and Sewer Rate Study for Fallsburg. That report did not just recommend rate increases; it also included a detailed cost analysis of repairing and replacing critical infrastructure. It laid out a roadmap for gradual, sustainable increases that would have spread costs out over time and helped secure the future of our water system.

But instead of sharing this study with the public, the administration at the time, which included a current council member, withheld it. Residents never saw it. Worse still, when Fallsburg’s 2018 Comprehensive Plan was drafted, this report, arguably the most important piece of planning information available, was excluded. The result: our community was denied the chance to plan wisely, and our infrastructure continued to age without proper investment.

The CDM 2011 report is “lost” and has not been found in its entirety. The study cost at least 50 thousand dollars, and despite being paid for by taxpayers was not made public to the taxpayers. Requests for the report have been made, but the town is unable to locate it today.

Now, fourteen years later, we are facing dramatic rate hikes under proposals like Resolution 57. But these increases are not simply the result of aging pipes or rising material costs (though these are real factors). They are the direct consequence of years of inaction and deliberate secrecy. The parts are more expensive now. The repairs are more urgent. The burden on taxpayers is heavier than it ever needed to be.

And here is the painful irony: some of the individuals who failed to act then are still in power now. One is running unopposed for Town Supervisor. Two current council members, who also looked the other way as this crisis grew, are running for re-election. How can we expect different results from the same people who ignored expert advice and withheld vital information?

Fallsburg deserves better. We need transparency, every report, every study, every financial analysis must be shared with residents. We need accountability, elected officials must answer for past decisions that left us in this position. And we need fairness, existing residents should not shoulder the full financial burden of growth and development that has strained our water system even further. Developers, who profit from high-density projects that overload our infrastructure, must pay their share through connection fees and capital contributions.

The water crisis we face today is not just about pipes, pumps, and tanks. It is about trust in government, responsible planning, and protecting residents from unnecessary hardship. Fallsburg families deserve a board that will not hide reports, deny data, or look the other way when the future is at stake.

We cannot change the past. But we can demand honesty, fairness, and action moving forward. And this 2011 CDM Smith report must be found and released!

There will be an election for Town Board this fall. Several current members will be running for re-election. Fallsburg Future has decided to publish a weekly newsletter highlighting the issues that face the residents and the town. Each newsletter will highlight a particular topic of concern as well as an overview of a particular issue. We have had technical issues with our email service. It has been corrected and you are able to respond to this email.

Fallsburg's Future is a community network of concerned Fallsburg residents established in January 2016. Its Mission is to help guide the urban development of the town of Fallsburg and its five hamlets, to promote its sustainable economic development, protect the fragile beauty of its natural habitats and enhance the opportunities and quality of life for all its residents and visitors. We hope to curb the suburban sprawl that is threatening to overwhelm the town’s physical infrastructure and destroy the natural beauty that the area depends on for its future development. See us on Facebook and our website Fallsburgsfuture.com.