As the Board of Education voted to reject higher-than-anticipated septic upgrade bids and directed its consultants to find cost savings, Town Councilwoman BJ Ianfolla argued the school’s plan for onsite upgrades prolongs harm.
While the school upgrades would meet regulatory standards for nitrogen reduction, Ianfolla said the Town’s proposed centralized system would do an even better job.
She asked the BOE on Wednesday to give the Town more time to finalize its plans. The goal is to remove municipal wastewater from the densely populated Town Center where wells show nitrate levels higher than the drinking water standard of 10 milligrams per liter.
The Town system would serve eight municipal buildings, including the school, the largest wastewater producer. Without the school’s participation, Ianfolla said, the Town may be forced to pursue less effective options.
Ianfolla said she was “feeling a little ashamed” that months of research, investigation, and public discussion of the centralized system “wasn’t enough to convince you.”
In 2020, the school board hired BBS Architects, Landscape Architects & Engineers PC to investigate onsite options to replace aging systems, which currently offer no nitrogen-reducing treatment. But the district agreed to delay while the Town developed its centralized system plan.
[For details about the school’s proposed system, read our earlier coverage, “BOE assigns $800K for septic upgrades.”]
Superintendent Brian J. Doleger reminded Ianfolla the district had given the Town a clear deadline of December 2022, after which it would be compelled to move ahead with its own plan. He said that higher-than-expected costs are a consequence of waiting.
But Ianfolla said the centralized system was worth waiting for because it would reduce total nitrogen in the effluent to 3 mg/l, far below the 19 mg/l standards for I/A systems.
“I don’t understand why 19 is acceptable when 3 is within your reach,” Ianfolla said.
By choosing an “inferior treatment method,” she suggested the school board could violate a recently-adopted amendment to the state constitution that guarantees New Yorkers access to clean water.
About a week ago, the school board allocated $800K from its repair reserve for its onsite project, enabling BBS to begin accepting bids. It received two; $1.15M and $1.23M. In rejecting them, the BOE directed BBS to review the design before rebidding the project to cut costs.
Ianfolla also said, without naming her, that school trustee Tracy McCarthy should recuse herself from wastewater decisions as Sylvester Manor employs her. The nonprofit has been critical of the Town’s proposed system planned for a vacant lot across the street from Sylvester Manor’s farm.
The Town has produced hydrogeological studies refuting the claim that treated effluent would adversely impact nearby wells. The Town Engineer says the system would not affect Sylvester Manor’s agricultural operations or impair the quality of its produce or livestock.
“Why is 3 mg/l not tolerable for Sylvester Manor,” Ianfolla asked, “but 19 mg/l is OK for every house downstream of here, as well as [Menantic] Creek?”
Ianfolla said the Town Board recently approved a $200K water quality improvement grant for marine habitat restoration. Kate Rossi-Snook, the school board vice president, presented the proposal on behalf of the Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Back to the Bays program.
“But we’re considering here the continued pollution of Menantic Creek?” Ianfolla asked.
The school’s I/A proposal could reduce its total nitrogen contribution to groundwater from 339 pounds per year to 43 pounds, but Ianfolla said the Town’s plan would further cut that to 7 pounds.
School Board President Margaret Colligan said the district’s plan “may not be perfect,” but her board can’t wait another year to take action. By installing I/A systems “and reducing what we can now, we’re starting with a project that will help immediately.”
Doelger added, “I don’t think we’re taking any step that is not good for the environment. We do this, and it’s better by September.”
He said that BBS had overseen projects in 12 school districts using the same I/A technology proposed for the Shelter Island School, and many attained nitrogen output of less than 19 mg/l. “So it is proven science.”
Regarding possible legal action that could further delay the Town’s plan, Board Trustee Kathleen Lynch said, “I’m not living in fear of a lawsuit. I would like to remediate what we can remediate right now with the least disruption to the school district.”
What’s more, the district could later modify its system. “We’re open to that, to improving the system,” Lynch said.
