Car wash gets okay to hook into village water-with stipulations

Warwick-The Warwick Car Wash may hook into the village's water supply, but only for the final rinse cycle. The business located on Elm Street, is one of the few properties in the village with working wells. About 20 years ago, the village grandfathered those few landowners with wells, allowing them to use the well instead of tapping into the reservoir system. The owner of the car wash, Matt LeDuc, came to the board last month requesting to tap into the village water system. Some village board members were hesitant to approve the request. The village is having a water study done, to determine its wells' capacity. The final results were expected in May but have not yet been returned. Because of a computer problem, the village has been running on its wells even though its reservoirs have gotten clearance after a dredging project last year. This has delayed the water study, since reservoir water must be running in order to test the wells effectively. LeDuc's attorney, Luke Charde, didn't think the water study had much impact on his client's request anyway. "No matter what the water study shows, the village must allow them to hook up," Charde told the village board last month. And he is correct. The village's regulations state it must provide water to all residents. The village may limit it, however. Which is just what it did. The car wash recycles about 80 percent of the water it uses. LeDuc said he would continue to recycle once he is on the village's water supply. He estimated his business would use about 100,000 gallons of water each quarter, not a lot for a business of this type, according to Department of Public Works supervisor Steve Cisco. The village has three reservoirs and two wells. The village's water wells have been used in times of drought and while a recent dredging project was underway at the reservoirs. Residents have strongly urged the village to do this analysis before granting either approvals for annexation or additional development. They have feared the village will allow too much development without knowing just how much water is in the aquifers.