By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
FRANKLINVILLE — While the discharge of organic material into Ischua Creek from the Great Lakes Cheese plant resulted in a significant die-off of fish and other aquatic life, it has apparently not contaminated local private water wells.
Cattaraugus County Public Health Director Dr. Kevin D. Watkins said Wednesday that preliminary tests show “nothing to be concerned about at this time” in terms of the private water wells within 100 feet of Ischua Creek.
Six of nine homes along the creek with private water wells were tested. Samples in three of the homes tested showed levels of coliform, a bacteria. There is no evidence to tie it to the discharge from the cheese plant, Watkins said.
The homes were retested for e coli and none was detected in the samples, Watkins told the Cattaraugus County Board of Health on Wednesday.
Test results are being awaited on water samples from the wells for sodium, ammonia and organic carbon, Watkins told the Olean Star.
While the discharge from the Great Lakes Cheese wastewater treatment plant into the creek has been blamed for the fish kill and other aquatic animals in the creek, it apparently has not threatened local drinking water.
Franklinville Mayor Ashley Schumaker said earlier this week that the village, which supplies drinking water to the village and a water district in the town, including Great Lakes Cheese, the village’s water wells are unaffected. “The water is safe,” she said.
The Olean water treatment plant on Olean Creek has also been alerted and continues to monitor any possible impact on water quality before it is introduced into the system, according to Olean Mayor Bill Aiello.
Watkins said the Olean water plant had been asked to be vigilant and take additional tests.
Until the reason for the fish kill is determined and the problem corrected, Great Lakes Cheese has halted discharge into the creek at this time. The company voluntarily halted the discharge on Aug. 29.
Meanwhile, DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton and Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball visited the site on Tuesday. They met with Great Lakes Cheese officials “to ensure all environmental requirements are met when plant operations resume and that the co-ops who supply milk to the plant are up-to-date on the situation and that impact to them is minimized,” according to DEC. The impact on wildlife including fish, birds and mammals is being closely monitored by DEC.
The DEC continues to require Great Lakes Cheese “to take immediate actions to address impacts and investigate the plant’s organic waste discharge to Ischua Creek,” according to a DEC statement. “Following the facility’s voluntary pause on wastewater discharges to Ischua Creek on Aug. 29, no wastewater is being discharged to the waterbody and DEC is closely overseeing all modifications being proposed to prevent any future discharges that could damage natural resources.”
Water quality concerns include impacts to fish and other water-dependent life due to low dissolved oxygen and elevated nutrients, temperature, and dissolved constituents such as total dissolved solids. The public is encouraged to report unusual fish and wildlife observations to DEC Region 9 Fisheries at fwfish9@dec.ny.gov
The statement said “DEC continues to work with the New York State Health Department, Cattaraugus County, and other partners to take all actions necessary to ensure protection of public health and the environment. Residents with private wells who have questions about potential impacts can contact DOH at bpwsp@health.ny.gov or reach out to the Cattaraugus County Health Department.
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