BETHANY, N.Y. (WKBW) — Over fifty residents of Bethany are without well water — leaving neighbors desperate to complete everyday tasks.
"You can't cook. You can't take a shower. You can't do your laundry. You can't even take care of your property," Kristin Kujawski said.
Kristin has lived in Bethany with her husband for the past 28 years.
"It's been a real struggle," Kristin said. "We're both retired. He's hauling water once or twice a week just for the two of us ... Even if you wanted to leave because you don't have water, you're not going to sell your house because you don't have water."
Over the past few weeks, more well-owners have been running out of water. Carl Hyde Jr., Bethany's town supervisor, has heard the town's cries.
"Within the last hour, I've just gotten two more notifications that I didn't know before — have no water," Hyde said while speaking with 7 News reporter Hannah Ferrera.
Last week, the New York State Office of Emergency Management sent a potable water truck to Bethany Town Hall to help residents with their water needs.
"They can take it [the water] home, put it in their cisterns or in their wells, and use it as needed for toilet flushing — that's all it's good for."
The COVID-19 pandemic put a hold on a $16.5 million grant issued to the district for public water. Higher prices since the pandemic have left the town in need of 5 million more dollars for this water.
"We all wrote letters of why we needed water at the beginning of the summer, then wrote another letter of how often we haul water," Kristin said. "In my first letter, I said, 'can somebody send a copy of this letter to Kathy Hochul, and ask her if she gets up in the morning and wonders if she has enough water to take a shower.' "
If the $5 million is granted, water most likely won't be available until Summer 2025.
Hyde said he's worried about the farms in the area.
"I have one farm hauling 60,000 gallons of water a day just for their dairy cows ... There's 100 employees with families that are going to get displaced ... Unless we can get water district five moving, one large farm plus the other four farms that are in town — all could go under."
Neighbors are also worried about the elderly and people with disabilities.
"We have a 300-gallon tank, and we can go haul the water," Kristin said. "My concern is ... for our neighbors who don't have a way to haul it."
Hyde told 7 News the town will be informed if they got the grant by the end of the year but until then, all the town can do is help each other while waiting for government assistance.
