Cassadaga fields concerns on water quality

CASSADAGA -- In 2025, the Village of Cassadaga was cited by the Chautauqua County Health Department for reporting violations regarding the annual drinking water quality report.

A resident addressed the Village Board with a letter detailing concerns listed in the report.

Among the issues highlighted by the resident were missed deadlines and shortcomings regarding monitoring data of the presence of contaminants such as manganese and iron, among others. A chlorine monitoring report also failed to be submitted on time.

In the interest of administrative accountability and public health transparency, the resident formally requested immediate status confirmation, as well as a written verification that all areas have been submitted to and accepted by the Chautauqua County Health Department. The resident also requested disclosure of root causes and the failures that led to missed deadlines, as well as a corrective action plan. The resident also asked that the letter submitted to the village be entered into the public record.

Mayor Rudy Abersold said he would take the lead regarding the requests. His response will be submitted to the village attorney for review prior to bringing it before the board.

In June, the board approved repairs of the Department of Public Works dump truck for an amount not to exceed $18,000. Also of note, the Department of Public Works and County representatives have been monitoring beaver activity in an attempt to keep the lake water levels from reaching a point of flooding.

Abersold has spoken with Brian McAvoy, Arkwright supervisor, regarding the village's fire protection contract with the town. Abersold said that the existing contract is very similar to what is being proposed for the next four years, with the exception of a 2% raise each year of the contract. The increase is proposed to cover rising costs such as fuel. Both the town and the village use the same attorney, Joe Calimeri. Once a formal copy of the contract is presented to the village board, it will be evaluated before being ruled on by the Board.