Ë®¹ûÅÉAV

Water flows from Cayuga Lake to the plant, which treats drinking water provided to the village of Aurora. It's a unique arrangement — a municipality buying its water from a private college. 

Aurora Mayor Jim Orman told Ë®¹ûÅÉAV he's had conversations with Wells College President Jonathan Gibralter and the Cayuga County Health Department about the water plant. State officials have also contacted the village about the situation. 

"Everyone is aware, but no set plans have been put in place because of all the variables," Orman said. 

The variables include the diatomaceous earth filter system at the plant, what entity will operate the facility and how it would be funded. 

Although planning is still in the early stages, Orman says "the right way to do it" is for the village to take over the plant. As a taxing authority, he continued, the village can charge a "fair fee." 

There are other benefits if Aurora assumes ownership of the plant. The village would be eligible for grants and other funding opportunities that weren't available to Wells College. Orman noted there was a grant awarded to the village for the water plant in the past, but it was unclear how the funding could be used if the village did not own the facility. 

In the planning phase, one of the main challenges is whether Aurora will have enough certified water operators to run the plant. The village needs two certified water operators, according to Ani Fish, the county's environmental health director. 

Orman says the village has one certified water operator and two employees who were hired with the intent to become trained operators. It is possible the village could hire the college's certified operators. Fish said Wells has two certified water operators and a third employee who could be certified in the next few weeks. 

No decision has been made about the future employment of the Wells College water plant operators. However, Orman said Gibralter "has tried to ensure that the water staff would stay on for an extended period of time beyond June." Three of the college's four rounds of job cuts are scheduled to occur by the end of June. 

For now, Wells College's plan to close won't affect the water treatment plant. In a statement on its website, the college said the plant "will continue to operate normally without any changes as we work with the attorney general's office and the village to determine an ownership transition plan." 

Deanna Ryan, the county's deputy director of health services, told Ë®¹ûÅÉAV that the Cayuga County Health Department isn't changing its approach to ensuring the water is safe to drink. The department conducts annual on-site inspections at the plant and requires the college to submit monthly operation reports. 

"We're going to continue to do what we need to do," Ryan said. "We'll provide support and guidance as this moves to a transfer of ownership."