Dozens of Boiceville residents have been without potable water for nearly three weeks due to what they say is negligence from a troubled water supplier they have been battling for years.
Hudson Valley Water Company, based in Woodbury, supplies water to about 435 customers across the Hudson Valley and Catskills. The company issued a “do not drink” order on Oct. 19, citing repairs to treatment systems. The order affected 25 to 30 households. Residents say they still have no water and have not received an update from the company.
“It’s baffling that we are constantly battling for clean water,” said Boiceville resident and Hudson Valley Water Company customer Dan Zelikman.
According to Zelikman, this is only the latest in a string of water quality issues dating back years. Since July 2021, Boiceville customers have endured at least 90 days without potable water, including a weeks-long “do not drink” order over the 2023 holiday season after high arsenic levels were detected. Documents provided by Zelikman show four other advisories lasting from four to 14 days since 2021.
Zelikman has filed complaints with the Ulster County Department of Health and the New York State Public Service Commission, both of which are investigating a bevy of complaints from customers. The company has faced chronic problems, including contamination and shutdowns in Hurley, Rosendale, and Saugerties.
In an email to The Overlook, Public Service Commission spokesperson James Denn confirmed the agency is reviewing Zelikman’s complaint. “The Commission has a pending proceeding to determine if Hudson Valley Water failed to provide safe, adequate and reliable service to its 434 customers,” he said.
A February 2024 Commission report questioned whether the company should be allowed to continue operating, citing failures to comply with directives, missed deadlines, and incomplete filings, and demanded answers from the company’s owner Jeff Fuller.
“Based on the allegations received, the Commission has concerns that Hudson Valley has failed to make appreciable and consistent improvements to its billing, metering, management of its water-works systems,” the report stated. The report stated that the company “may not be currently capable of providing drinking water services to its customers in a manner that is sufficient to protect the public health and welfare.”
Owner Jeff Fuller denied the allegations, telling regulators the company’s filtration systems “have been working properly since their installation years ago.” He blamed January’s Boiceville problems on “an outside technician,” categorizing them as a “one-time occurrence.” Fuller did not respond to a request for comment.
Boiceville customers say a lack of communication from Fuller and Hudson Valley Water Company is part of the ongoing problem. Former Boiceville resident Sarah Schutzki, who sold her house recently after years of problems with the company, said she and her family were often unaware of “do not drink” orders and unknowingly continued to use the water.
“Years went by when I wasn’t informed about pretty serious issues with the water that could have unknown effects on my family,” said Schutzki, who now lives in Brooklyn. “We shouldn’t have to concern ourselves on whether the water is safe to drink.”
The most recent update, shared Nov. 4 by county engineer Jeff Albert, said repairs to the filter system had failed and officials were awaiting a timeline for restoration of safe water.
Amberly Campbell, assistant deputy to County Executive Jen Metzger, said the company has provided a tanker truck where customers can fill jugs with potable water. Full repairs could take up to another month, she said.
“We feel kind of helpless,” said resident Avi Abel, who splits time between Boiceville and Brooklyn. “If I was living there full time, I would never stand for this—but at the end of the day, we just want running water.”
Jim Rich is a senior reporter for The Overlook. You can reach him at jim@theoverlooknews.com.
