Since late October, the eastern section of Garden City, namely residents living in the Franklin Court area, have been experiencing bouts of very rusty water because the wellfield at Second Street and Hilton Avenue was shut down due to the plume of Freon recently detected.

According to Public Works Superintendent Robert Mangan, the entire flow of the system in the southern portion of Garden City, east of Hilton Avenue, has changed as this area is now fed from the opposite direction. However, attempts to clear the area, especially the Franklin Court section, by flushing have obviously not been successful.

Although Franklin Court area residents are thankful for the constant attention Garden City's Department of Public Works - specifically Water and Sewer - has given the situation, the problem still exists.

Marita Del Bello Derle of 6 6th Place addressed trustees Jan. 11, bringing with her a water bottle filled with discolored, rusty water from her own home that brought gasps from trustees and residents alike.

"...It's in our toilets, it's in our tubs, it's in our sinks ... A lot of us have had our boilers cleaned, our coils cleaned and it still continues. We appreciate all the work - and they've been there every day - but we just have a few questions," Derle said, asking trustees if they could shed some light on the situation. "How old are the water mains in that area? Has the village performed any testing on the water? Are there any plans to replace the water mains?" she asked.

According to Mangan, the manhole covers in the area are some of the oldest in the village - dated 1910. "Part of the problem with the Franklin Court area is that it is one of the oldest in the village and has unlined cast-iron pipes, which are severely encrusted and susceptible to the slightest disturbances to the system, such as opening the hydrants," he said, adding that replacement of the unlined water mains should be considered and made a priority. Village officials are currently finalizing estimates for the capital budget for such replacements.

In a letter sent to Mayor Gerard Lundquist, residents wrote: "Obviously, despite best efforts, the problems persist. In many cases they have worsened. Water is not drinkable so we're forced to buy bottled water, laundry is ruined, children cannot bathe, filtration systems and water heaters have likely been destroyed and so on..."

The Water Department is currently testing valves and responding to the many complaints. As of press time, department personnel have found three broken valves in Franklin Court. "Broken valves can cause rusty water because the valve can restrict flow, increasing turbulence and consequently knocking iron off the mains," Mangan explained.

The department's goal is to fix or replace the valves and add an additional hydrant for flushing purposes. Work was slated for last week in an attempt to stabilize the system. Further, another valve was expected to be replaced Jan. 12.

As for the Freon detection, Mangan said the Nassau County Health Department indicated they would test the cooling system wells in an attempt to locate the source. In the meantime, the wellfield will remain shut down. An air stripping treatment system has been included in the 2007-08 water capital budget.