WARE: It takes $ 7.5 million to fix the current water discoloration problem in the city, 25 percent more than expected only five months ago.
Previous estimates of $ 6 million were outdated, according to the director of the city's public works department, who were unsure how taxpayers could pay higher prices.
"I don't think we can pay for that," said DPW director Gilbert St. George-Sorel to selected people at their last meeting in February.
George-Sorel told selected people that he did not "have all the answers" about how the estimates of the costs of private engineering companies were much higher. The city meeting budgeted $ 6 million to resolve the problem.
The DPW chief told the council not to seek additional funding at a city meeting in May because it would be wise to investigate in advance if possible to finance the project.
St. George-Sorel, who worked for the city from 1967 to retiring eight years ago as director of the DPW, returned to work in late September on a temporary basis.
Ware Town manager Stuart Beckley has been trying to fill that position for almost a year.
The former DPW director, Richard Kilhart, resigned in April to occupy a position in the city of Orange. He was Director of Ware DPW for less than three years.
Kilhart replaces Thomas J. Martens. Named in 2010 to replace St. George-Sorel.
When Beckley convinced St George-Sorel to retire in September, the manager said that the acting director of the DPW is expected to work full time until the end of 2018.
It is not known how long St. George-Sorel will still work, or when the permanent director of the DPW can be appointed.
Complaints about water changing color in the city system have been going on for years.
During a meeting in 2015, a resident told selected people that the problem was a decade old.
City officials say that although chocolate water is not a health risk.
