Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger and the New York State Public Service Commission traded criticism this week after Metzger urged the agency to take stronger action to help Boiceville residents who have been without potable water for more than three weeks.
In a letter sent just days after The Overlook first reported the outage, Metzger said as many as 75 residents in roughly 30 homes served by the Hudson Valley Water Company have been left without running water, the second prolonged disruption since early 2024.
“Our residents are rightly exasperated, as they were in precisely this same situation two years ago—the same system failure and the same pattern of poor communication with customers,” Metzger wrote. “Residents have been reaching out to [Hudson Valley Water Company] to get updates to no avail.”
Metzger said her own calls to the company went unanswered. The company’s owner, Jeffrey Fuller, did not respond to requests for comment from The Overlook.
Complaints about Hudson Valley Water Company, which serves about 435 customers in Ulster and surrounding counties, date back to 2021. Boiceville resident Dan Zelikman said he and his neighbors have endured at least half a dozen “do not drink” orders and more than 90 days without running water in the past four years. The company has also faced contamination and shutdowns in Hurley, Rosendale, and Saugerties.
In February of 2024, the Commission opened an investigation into whether Hudson Valley Water Company should be allowed to continue operating, citing failures to comply with directives, missed deadlines, and incomplete filings. The agency has yet to issue a ruling.
Metzger questioned the delay.
“There is no public update on this proceeding since February 28, 2024,” Metzger wrote. “The customers of [Hudson Valley Water Company] need fast action and support during this difficult time.”
She urged the commission to expedite replacement of faulty filtration equipment, require installation of a backup filter, identify a temporary operator, and improve communication with customers.
Commission spokesperson James Denn said Metzger’s recommendations had been added to the public record but pushed back on some of her criticism, disputing her suggestion that regulators could force a takeover.
“The [Commission] cannot compel another operator—private or municipal—to take over the system,” Denn said in an email. “No willing temporary operator has been identified to date.”
Metzger bristled at that response.
“The Public Service Commission has regulatory authority over private water utilities, including over service quality and reliability, and can compel [Hudson Valley Water Company] to take the necessary steps to ensure safe, reliable service,” Metzger said in an email. “The fact that this exact same issue occurred less than two years ago, along with the same pattern of poor communication with customers, is just unacceptable.”
Zelikman said residents appreciate Metzger and other officials advocating for a solution but remain frustrated by the bureaucratic delays.
“How can a utility provider not be regulated and held accountable to keep their customers informed when they cannot provide the only service they exist to provide?” Zelikman said. “We’re not talking about faster WiFi or a better cell tower here, we are asking, in fact begging, for clean water.”
“The delays, lack of action and bureaucracy are complicated, but it’s more frustrating that there isn’t a sense of urgency to get citizens access to clean water in the Catskills,” he said.
Jim Rich is a senior reporter for The Overlook. You can reach him at jim@theoverlooknews.com.