Penn Yan Village

The Penn Yan Municipal Utilities Board issues this annual water quality report in compliance with State regulations. This document provides insights into your water quality, raises awareness about source water protection, and offers water conservation tips.

If you have questions about this report or your water supply, please contact Brent Bodine, Director of Public Works, at (315) 536-3374. The Municipal Utilities Board holds regular meetings at 111 Elm Street on the Thursday before the third Tuesday of each month at 8:30 a.m.

Water Source Information: Penn Yan's sole water supply comes from Keuka Lake. Water is pumped from the lake to the Water Treatment Plant at 1515 West Lake Road, where it undergoes filtration, disinfection, fluoridation, and corrosion control treatment. After processing, water is pumped to a two-million-gallon reservoir before entering the distribution system via gravity.

Source Water Assessment: A report completed under New York State's Source Water Assessment Program found increased susceptibility to contamination in this source. Agricultural land in the assessment area creates potential risks from phosphorus, disinfection by-product precursors, and pesticides. While permitted discharges aren't a major concern, the volume of wastewater discharged to surface water increases contamination risk, particularly for protozoa. Additional contamination risks come from Chemical Bulk Storage facilities and Inactive Hazardous Waste Sites.

Service Area: Our regional treatment facility serves 4,987 Penn Yan residents through 2,336 connections. Additionally, we provide water to approximately 3,000 residents in the Town of Jerusalem, 1,000 residents in the Town of Milo, 700 residents in the Village of Dresden, 999 residents in the Town of Benton, and 658 residents in the Town of Pulteney.

Water Production: In 2017, we produced 317,446,200 gallons of water. Of this total, 271,586,646 gallons were delivered to customers, with 170,784,745 gallons sold to Penn Yan accounts and 100,801,901 gallons to customers in other municipalities. Approximately 20,721,607 gallons were used for non-retail purposes, leaving 25,137,947 gallons used for main flushing, firefighting, and plant filter backwashing.

Common Water Quality Questions

1. How are water shortages addressed in America?
   Some coastal California regions face freshwater shortages. Solutions include desalination technology to convert saltwater and infrastructure development to transport water from resource-rich areas via underground piping networks. Engineers continually seek efficient and reliable methods to deliver water to communities nationwide.
2. How are municipal water rates determined?
   Public water utilities typically set their own rates without state utility commission approval. Private companies must apply with their state's Public Utilities Commission when seeking rate increases. Private utilities can earn reasonable returns on prudent capital investments, though returns aren't guaranteed and depend on operational efficiency.
3. What should residents do during drought conditions?
   When communities experience water shortages due to weather conditions or resource issues, local governments provide specific conservation guidelines. Visit our Wise Water Use section for practical water conservation strategies.
4. How does municipal water reach household taps?
   The water infrastructure system has three main components: pumping stations extract raw water from sources like aquifers or rivers; treatment facilities process water to meet EPA standards; and distribution systems (a network of pipes spanning 700,000 miles nationwide) deliver treated water to homes, businesses, and hydrants.
5. How is municipal water treated?
   After collection from sources (underground aquifers, rivers, reservoirs, lakes), water enters treatment facilities where engineers employ chemical treatments and filtration processes tailored to local needs. As community requirements grow, additional resources and investments ensure facilities maintain compliance with established standards.