Middleburgh Village May Expand Sewer up Grove Street

MIDDLEBURGH - Middleburgh village officials will be checking in with Grove Street residents to gauge the possible expansion of sewer lines.

Board members received a letter last month from street residents Rob and Jackie Farrell asking permission to connect to the village sewer system.

The village has some rough estimates after consulting with the Village of Sharon Springs about its project, but will need to discuss with both the village DPW and engineers, according to Mayor Tim Knight.

The village will check with residents on the street to see if they want to be hooked into the sewer system. Village laws state that if a sewer line is run by a property, the owners have to be billed.

The line would have to be extended by 75 to 100 feet to get to the Farrell's property. It would also go by three to four other properties.

Officials noted that the cost to extend the lives would eventually be offset by the additional sewer rents, possibly within two or three years.

Trustee Bob Tinker suggested that the village seek grants to expand the sewer district in the village. "It needs to be done."

He did add that the village board has to be careful about setting a precedent if the Farrells’ request is approved.

He did note that the sewer plant is big enough to service the entire village.

Any additional expansion would have to be designed by engineers. 

If enough residents are interested, the line could be expanded up the entire street, Trustee Tinker said.

In a letter to the village board, the Farrells noted that the manhole at the end of the current line is located near a vacant lot they also own.

"We recognize the efforts by the village to expand the sanitary sewer system and we fully support such efforts to include Grove Street. However, the timing of any expansion up Grove Street is anticipated to be years away, which doesn't support home improvements we're planning to begin in the early summer 2025 that will be constrained by our septic system," they wrote.