GOSHEN – Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus and Middletown
Mayor Joseph DeStefano both called it “historic.” They signed
an agreement that will boost economic development in the county.
Orange County owns the Indigot Reservoir in the Town of Wawayanda adjacent
to the City of Middletown’s modern water treatment plant.
Under the agreement, Middletown will receive the first 375,000 gallons
of water at no charge and after it filters it, will sell it to the Amy’s
Kitchen company, which is going to construct a large food manufacturing
facility in the Town of Goshen.
Additional water up to 1,000 gallons per day would be sold to Middletown
for $1 per gallon with that being sold for other projects.
Neuhaus said it is the perfect arrangement.
“You talk about consolidation and regionalism, this is the textbook
example,” he said.
The water deal was key to the Amy’s facility, said the county executive.
“This project, Amy’s, would not go forward without the arrangements
with the City of Middletown which was directly attached to this Indigot
agreement we signed right here,” Neuhaus said.
DeStefano, a Democrat, was on the Republican Neuhaus’ transition
advisory team three years ago and the mayor said Neuhaus’ emphasis
then was economic development and jobs and “he making good on that,”
DeStefano said.
