Wastewater treatment plant upgrade challenges discussed

Karen Clark, Project Engineer from Barton & Loguidice, provided updates on the wastewater treatment plant upgrade project to the Warwick Village Board, during the Sept. 15 meeting.

Speaking remotely, she said one of the challenges was working with Orange and Rockland to get the power supply to the project, noting the original plan involved placing new poles that weren’t on village property. Instead, a new transformer on village land is proposed, which will then connect to the distribution center at the plant.

Clark also mentioned new wetlands regulations that compelled her group to redo the project’s delineation so that it could meet the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation’s standards for approval. She added that a bald eagle’s nest was sighted near the plant, which would impact the time of day when construction can occur.

Even if the bid is awarded by the middle of January 2026, Clark added, construction may not begin until June, as it takes time for equipment to arrive and work often must be done in phases. She estimated that the project would be completed by the fall of 2027.

Following Clark’s presentation, the board passed a motion to advertise and receive bids for the construction.

Also during the meeting, Trustee Carly Foster shared that the village is seeking artists to support its Safe Streets for All campaign by creating projects in certain areas known to have habitual speeding or a high incidence of crashes. She said that ample research supports the efficacy of using public art on roadways to slow people down, and partnering with the artist community to raise awareness will hopefully create a culture of a slower Warwick. Amplifying the urgency of the campaign, Trustee Mary Collura shared her own story of a close call with a motorist who failed to obey a traffic signal in the area.

Foster acknowledged requests from residents for speed cameras in certain areas. Thanking Trustee Barry Cheney for his help in reaching out to the state to find out the requirements for obtaining speed cameras, she said that it would require the support of both the village’s assemblyperson and state senator as well as approval by the state legislature. Furthermore, speed cameras are only authorized in certain areas.

While installing speed cameras may be a challenge, Trustee Thomas McKnight shared that the village was able to obtain two more speed monitoring signs, bringing the village’s total to five. This will allow signs to be kept in certain locations for longer periods of time, ensuring that more data can be collected.

The board also agreed to a 24-month term contract with Constellation Energy for electrical power supply, which will begin on Nov. 1. Before approving the contract, the board discussed challenges in energy costs and concerns about qualifying for green energy grants. Trustee Thomas McKnigh said that the village had taken steps to be eligible for grant funding, but was informed that, because it couldn’t prove where the energy came from, the village couldn’t qualify for the recommendation.