WAWARSING - The New York City Department of Environmental Protection will cover the cost of bottled water for residents of the U.S. Route 209/Smith Road area who have been affected by leaks in the city's Delaware Aqueduct, town Supervisor Edward Jennings announced on Wednesday.

Jennings said the water will be provided by the Leisure Time Bottled Water Co. in Monticello and will go to 34 families. The Ulster County Health Department has taken water samples from the Route 209/Smith Road area and discovered high levels of E. coli, especially in dug wells. Jennings said he, in turn, negotiated an agreement with New York City DEP Regional Manager Ira Stern for the city to reimburse the town for the cost of the bottled water until ultraviolet treatment systems can be installed in each affected home. The ultraviolet systems, which eliminate bacteria in water, also will be paid for by New York City.

The Delaware Aqueduct, which carries upstate reservoir water to New York City, "has been leaking 35 million gallons a day for decades, and it's only recently that the DEP has acknowledged a crack" in it, Jennings said in a prepared statement. "The tunnel is 600 feet underground, and repairing it will take years. The bottled water and UV systems (are) just a Band-Aid until a permanent solution can be found."

Of the bottled water agreement, Jennings said: "The town is acting as a conduit between Leisure Time and the DEP to assist those experiencing difficult water problems. It's about time the city stepped up to the plate. The homeowners have suffered enough."

For more information, call the Wawarsing Town Hall at (845) 647-6570.