DEC issues Town of Goshen notice of violation

On July 1, 2020, the Town of Goshen received a Notice of Violation from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) as a result of the sewage overflow at the Hambletonian Park Pump Station on Craigville Road.

A power surge on Sunday, June 14, kicked the breaker out at the station, destroying the controls and causing an overflow of raw sewage on the ground.

The raw sewage that reached an adjacent baseball field on the day of the overflow was of concern to DEC assistant engineer Ryan O’Mara, who conducted a site visit.

Addressing the overflow, O’Mara said in an email, “The Town’s emergency cleanup contractor arrived onsite approximately 20-minutes after the overflow was discovered to begin the cleanup process. The Town oversaw the cleanup and disinfection of the impacted area of the field. DEC Division of Water inspected the sewage overflow site on 6/24/20 and at the time of inspection, DEC found no evidence of the overflow on the baseball field. DEC’s investigation into the overflow is ongoing.” Town officials posted a closed sign at the entrance to the park.

As a result of the investigation, the violation noted that the Town must implement two corrective actions: a full electrical evaluation of the pump station and incoming electric service to determine the source of the electrical problems experienced at this pump station and evaluate the design of a culvert at the site to determine its intended use and the appropriate continued use of the culvert.

In response to the first concern, Town of Goshen Supervisor Doug Bloomfield said the Town has requested Orange & Rockland to study what caused the surge. As part of the study, the utility put meters at the site to gather evidence.

“We’re meeting with O&R within about a week- and-a-half for them to divulge what they found,” said the supervisor.

According to the Supervisor, the Town has installed new state-of-the-art technology and equipment in the treatment relay pump station, but effective working depends on constant power. “We have to learn what O&R finds and recommends.”

As for the culvert, the supervisor said that it was put in place years ago by then Supervisor Myron Urbanski as a drain from the back of the field to keep water from getting onto the field. He added that no sewage has been found coming out of the culvert.

Agent O’Meara noted that the town notified the public of the spillage by submitting a New York Alert sewage discharge notification for this overflow in accordance with the time requirement of the Sewage Pollution Right to Know and state regulations. New York Alert is the notification tool for municipalities to let DEC, the Department of Health (DOH), and the public know that a discharge has recently occurred Town officials posted a closed sign at the entrance to the ball field.

DEC and DOH determine what to do about discharges after consulting with the municipality where a spillage occurs.

For information or to sign up to receive alerts, go to: https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/101187.html.

- Geri Corey