Top Stories Headline News
	TRR Archive the Rue Morgue
	Editorials Editorials Columns Letters
	Arts & Leisure Reviews & Schedules
	Outdoors Fishing/Hunting Outdoor Magazine
	Sports Local Scores & Standings
	Food Recipes for culinary delights
	Bridges Bridges of the Upper Delaware
	Back Issues
	Search
	Links
	Commerce Sponsors
	Classified Ads Find it here
	Staff Pages
	Masthead
	Design Studio
	Subscriptions Get your copy delivered

Thursday, May 28, 1987, pp. 1 and 3.

---

Tusten to pump river?

By TOM RUE


NARROWSBURG - One of several alternatives to continued use of the existing well discussed by the Tusten Town Board at its May 26 meeting, was pumping the town's drinking water directly from the Delaware River.

The options are being considered because many residents fear that water from old Well #1, located near the Cortese landfill, could become contaminated, according to Supervisor Rick Lander. This is despite state tests which have shown that the water presently is safe to drink, he added. Some have expressed concern that use of the well could pull the field of contaminants toward it.

If water were taken directly from the river, as proposed at the meeting by Bernie Lohmann of Lava, a processing plant would be required. Lander noted that such a project would require the clearance of the Delaware River Basin Commission and the National Park Service.

Other possibilities proposed at the meeting, which Lander promised to investigate, included: testing water purity at Well #1 after a 30-day test of continuous pumping; drilling a well in the parking lot of the town hall; and using water from the town pond.

Most people at the meeting seemed to agree that even if the water in Well #1 tested pure after a 30-day flush, they would still have little confidence in its potability. Lander stressed that this fear on the part of residents, is part of the basis for the money damages being sought from the landfill lawsuit.

Several residents objected to a proposal to sell Clark's Pond to refinance a new water resource. Narrowsburg resident Ron Scheuren urged that the water district sell the pond to the town for use as a park.

In response to a question, Lander denied that he had any hope of acquiring the pond. "Why do you keep thinking I'm going to buy it? I can't buy it. I'm part of the town. I will not buy it! I can not buy it!" he exclaimed.

Lander described the pond as "a swamp".

"It's in the wetlands, it's going to be hard to develop. You can't swim down there. The only recreation you could have would be picnicking or maybe ice-fishing," he claimed.

In another matter, the board restated its support for a proposal by the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance (DVAA) to reopen the Park Theater, located in the town hall. It voted to write Jack Kelly, who previously operated the theater, that he has 30 days to negotiate with DVAA, or remove chairs and movie equipment he has stored in the theater. DVAA director Elaine Guigere described the items as "very, very old" and "not worth a whole lot".

In other business, the board: held a public hearing and voted to spend $11,758 on a green 4x4 Ford truck for use by the water district; turned responsibility for maintenance of a bridge on the Brook Road (Town Highway 32) over to the county [See story on page 7]; approved negotiation of an easement across school property for a sewer pipe; and discussed calling upon tax assessor Robert Luben to render a written report to the board on the status of the revaluation, now two years overdue, according to Lander.

---

Related links


The Cortese Landfill: A case study (Martinez, 1991)


Upper Delaware Scenic & Recretational River