Water Issues In Whitestown Continue; New Hope For Water District 25 Residents
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: March 21, 2013
Water is perhaps the most important human need. But for some residents
who live along Route 233 in Whitestown, this precious necessity has been
just out of reach - literally- for years. But there are new
developments following the agreement between Mohawk Valley Water
Authority and Canal Corporation regarding the Hinckley Reservoir. And
some say there is new hope for Water District 25 residents, that's those
people who live along Route 233.
The Whitestown Board is working to get involved in the Hinckley Reservoir Project. But Route 233 residents are still asking their same old question: why can't they have access to the Rome water line that already runs through their front yards?
"I probably sound like a broken record because I just don't understand the logic," says Rosanne Loparco, Water District 25 resident.
Loparco has spent the last decade watching her water consumption. Right now her water comes from her own well and she says its terrible quality.
"I spend anywhere from $25-50 dollars a month because I do everything with bottled water since I don't know when my water is going to have dirty particles in it," says Loparco.
A few years ago Rome allowed Westmoreland to run a water line along Route 233. Loparco thought her water problem would finally be solved.
"I said whatever they wanna do is fine because I was excited it was a water line. I approached Whitestown to say when can I connect? And that's when Whitestown told me you can't," says Loparco.
Just beneath the ground in front of Rosanne's house is a water line but for the residents that live there, they don't get any access. Rosanne says she feels like she's in a triangle; She has a Rome mailing address, but she belongs to the Westmoreland school district, and her town is considered Whitestown.
"27 homes that are willing to pay, the town of Whitestown is willing to work with Rome. It won't solve all their problems but its revenue and I guess I don't understand why any revenue would be looked at as a negative," says Loparco.
But the Rome Mayor says it's not that simple.
"Those pipes don't belong to Whitestown, the water, we don't have a water agreement with the town of Whitestown. We want to help those people and I believe in the future we will, we just need to work on it a little bit more," says Mayor Joe Fusco, city of Rome.
Mayor Fusco says they have not closed the doors yet. He says Rome and Whitestown will soon be in discussions regarding potential water rates. As for those Water District 25 residents, at this point, all they can do is wait.
The Whitestown Board is working to get involved in the Hinckley Reservoir Project. But Route 233 residents are still asking their same old question: why can't they have access to the Rome water line that already runs through their front yards?
"I probably sound like a broken record because I just don't understand the logic," says Rosanne Loparco, Water District 25 resident.
Loparco has spent the last decade watching her water consumption. Right now her water comes from her own well and she says its terrible quality.
"I spend anywhere from $25-50 dollars a month because I do everything with bottled water since I don't know when my water is going to have dirty particles in it," says Loparco.
A few years ago Rome allowed Westmoreland to run a water line along Route 233. Loparco thought her water problem would finally be solved.
"I said whatever they wanna do is fine because I was excited it was a water line. I approached Whitestown to say when can I connect? And that's when Whitestown told me you can't," says Loparco.
Just beneath the ground in front of Rosanne's house is a water line but for the residents that live there, they don't get any access. Rosanne says she feels like she's in a triangle; She has a Rome mailing address, but she belongs to the Westmoreland school district, and her town is considered Whitestown.
"27 homes that are willing to pay, the town of Whitestown is willing to work with Rome. It won't solve all their problems but its revenue and I guess I don't understand why any revenue would be looked at as a negative," says Loparco.
But the Rome Mayor says it's not that simple.
"Those pipes don't belong to Whitestown, the water, we don't have a water agreement with the town of Whitestown. We want to help those people and I believe in the future we will, we just need to work on it a little bit more," says Mayor Joe Fusco, city of Rome.
Mayor Fusco says they have not closed the doors yet. He says Rome and Whitestown will soon be in discussions regarding potential water rates. As for those Water District 25 residents, at this point, all they can do is wait.
