Darien Town Supervisor David Hagelberger said a proposal to create a new water district in the municipality will be a hot topic once again as soon as work on an accurate map of the area in question is finished.
"I'm sure the water (district) will heat up in terms of news when we get the map completed," Hagelberger said Wednesday afternoon. "We have been busy detailing the map as far as which properties will be in it and identifying the property boundaries."
Town residents initially heard about the proposed $24.8 million project to supply public water to two-thirds of the population in late September and, following a couple of public presentations by engineer Steve Mountain, were asked to fill out survey cards indicating their preference.
Hagelberger said that 869 cards were mailed to property owners in the proposed Water District No. 6.
Through Dec. 3, the survey results are as follows:
-- 195 in favor, or 22.4 percent;
-- 309 against, or 35.6 percent;
-- 5 undecided, or .6 percent;
-- 360 yet to be returned, or 41.4 percent.
"As you can see, the biggest group are the non-responders," Hagelberger said. "We're hoping to get more cards back since we really don't know what they are thinking yet."
He said that town and Genesee County officials hope to have the map done by the end of the month and, if that is the case, the issue could come up at the Town Board's next meeting on Feb. 1.
Estimates show that the project would cost property owners, at the outset, about $1,275 annually in debt service and water usage costs.
Back in September, Hagelberger said that this opportunity to provide public water to the 2,095 town residents who have well water was a "go or no go" situation.
The project also comes with grant funding from USDA Rural Development in the amount of $6.8 million -- funds that lower the cost to an affordable level, the supervisor added.
