Eminent Domain is a viable alternative and was supported by the supreme court when it is in the interest of the community. However, I would not suggest that we go to the Water Authority to get it. The county government has not shown itself to be a friend of the people who use the Orange County Sewer District, or elected officials who represent them, so I would not expect that would change when they get involved in your water issue.

Given that Kiryas Joel has no way to get that water to their municipality unless they can get grants from the elected representatives, it has little value. The separating of these wells from the polluted Star property that was purchased with the wells should have been opposed and it should be revisited and challenged. Has any clean up action been taken on the polluted property? If not, then the village should question the separation of the wells from that property because combined with that property the wells have little value. Who will get stuck with the clean up if the company that purchased it and gave KJ the wells for $1,000 now goes bankrupt? I think we all know the answer to that one. The Town/Village should work together with their elected state and county representatives to use eminent domain to take both the polluted property and the wells. It should ask the elected State and Federal and county representatives to help them get some super fund cleanup grants to help the community to get the Star Property cleaned up and get it back on the tax rolls.