The Village Board of Lake George is set to implement a six-month moratorium on new commercial property water hookups outside the village limits, a decision aimed at allowing for a comprehensive water study. This study, expected to last between 10 to 12 weeks, will evaluate the village’s water system and its capacity to meet the growing demands of the area.
The board plans to vote on this resolution during its upcoming December meeting. The need for the moratorium arises from increasing interest from developers in projects that require substantial water usage, including a significant development proposed at the former Water Slide World site by developer Richard Schermerhorn.
Lake George Town Supervisor Dennis Dickinson highlighted that while the village currently has sufficient water resources, there is a need to ensure that the system can meet the anticipated volume required for these new projects. “We’ve had some interest from developers for large water usage projects and the village has enough water, but they want to make sure they can get to the volume needed for these projects, so that prompted us to have the water study done,” Dickinson explained.
The village has contracted C.T. Male Engineering to conduct this study, which will assess the current capacity of the water system, identify potential limitations, and suggest improvements. The study is particularly timely, as recent developments, including the conversion of the old Ramada Inn into residential units and various condominium projects along Route 9L and Bloody Pond Road, have raised concerns about the adequacy of the existing water infrastructure.
Village officials are keen on ensuring that growth in Lake George is not hindered by water supply issues. Mayor Bob Blais stated, “We do not want to hinder growth in the town of Lake George. We want to be able to service all customers that wish village water in the town outside the village and at the same time maintain an adequate reserve for the village.”
Currently, the village’s water is sourced directly from Lake George and is distributed through a modern filtration system that serves over 1,800 residents and businesses. In contrast, the town-operated facility in Diamond Point serves a much smaller population, highlighting the disparity in water service capacity between the two entities.
As the village prepares for the upcoming vote and the subsequent study, local officials remain focused on balancing the needs of development with the sustainability of water resources in the region.