South Blooming Grove offers deal to Orange County over sewage odor problem
All municipalities, except one, whose sewage meets beneath the park have adopted the Anue technology that breaks down the hydrogen sulfide before it reaches the park. The village of South Blooming Grove, though, has not adopted the treatment.
The village of South Blooming Grove is pitching a deal to Orange County: the village will treat its water to help fix a nagging odor problem at Airplane Park in Monroe only if the county drops an unrelated lawsuit against the village.
Monroe Town Councilwoman Maureen Richardson showed News 12 the manholes by the park's new playground that have been emanating hydrogen sulfide, which smells of human waste.
Sewage lines from several nearby municipalities meet underneath the park before it is channeled to a treatment plant.
All municipalities, except one, whose sewage meets beneath the park have adopted the Anue technology that breaks down the hydrogen sulfide before it reaches the park.
The village of South Blooming Grove, though, has not adopted the treatment.
A pilot study and other data Richardson obtained through several public records requests indicate the odor has been traced to South Blooming Grove's sewage.
Emails over several years written by several local officials, also obtained by Richardson through her request, show frustrating exchanges about how to compel the village to comply.
Village leaders have proposed a new deal that ropes in other matters.
"They are not willing to purchase the Anue system until they feel that the county cooperates with them for other issues," Richardson said of her recent communication with Isaac Ekstein, an aide to South Blooming Grove Mayor George Kalaj. "So now Monroe is a bargaining chip."
Orange County is suing, alleging the village started constructing a road in 2023 through Gonzaga Park, which is county-owned, without any permit or other official clearance.
"If the county is ready to settle that litigation, we are ready to implement the new system at our own cost," Ekstein said, adding that the sewage does not emit such an odor at the village's treatment hub and no rules or laws require the village to install the technology.
County attorney Richard Golden told News 12 Tuesday such a proposal would be "soundly and unqualifiedly rejected" by the county.
Golden said the county is exploring mitigation measures, "regardless of any action or inaction by the Village, and hold any offending party responsible for the cost of such measures."
Monroe Town Supervisor Tony Cardone — who is running for reelection this year against Richardson — pointed out that a test of the anti-odor technology in South Blooming Grove lessened the odor in Monroe, "but they never followed through on installing the system, so that's why we're still here discussing this every day."
Golden said there is not sufficient evidence to issue South Blooming Grove a notice of violation of the county's sewer use law.
A spokesperson for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued a statement Tuesday, but did not answer questions about what power the agency might have to compel compliance from South Blooming Grove.
"The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) takes seriously reports of unpleasant odors," the spokesperson wrote. "DEC will continue to closely monitor Orange County Sewer District’s actions with the contributing municipalities to mitigate odors."
