WEST CARTHAGE — The Champion town board agreed with a recommendation by engineer Gregor K. Smith of Bernier, Carr & Associates to begin treating the town water system with a blended phosphate solution that is a corrosion inhibitor and will sequester the iron and manganese content to reduce the water’s hardness.

In November, the town came off the West Carthage system and began drawing water from wells on Farney Pit Road. Since then, there have been reports of hardness in the water in District 5, which covers the area along Route 26 including Carthage Central School and Caskinette’s Lofink Ford.

During last month’s Carthage Central School Board of Education meeting, district facilities director Jeremy S. Thesier recommended that water softeners be installed in the Cole Road schools’ kitchens to prevent damage to their dishwashers.

According to town Supervisor Terry L. Buckley, the treatment of town water should eliminate the necessity of the school district purchasing water softeners.

In other business, the board adopted an amendment to the zoning law concerning gas, oil or solution drilling or mining. The law covers “the process of exploration and drilling through wells or subsurface excavations for oil or gas, and extraction, production, transportation, purchase, processing and storage of oil or gas.”

These types of activities would be allowed only on property zoned industrial and would require a special-use permit from the town Planning Board. The law would prohibit the disposal of any hydraulic fracturing fluids in the town. A “road preservation use and repair agreement” between the developer and the town would be required along with a bond or cash bond to be used to repair roads damaged by heavy well-drilling equipment.

The board also agreed to purchase five sets of turnout gear for the Champion Fire Department at a cost of $3,000 to $4,000 each and 30 Storz hydrant adapters at a cost of $139 each. The adapters are needed because the size of fire hoses has increased since hydrants were installed.

Mr. Buckley informed Champion Fire Chief Louis J. Waite that a request for new hoses would not be approved because the purchase would have to be under state bid or the department would have to obtain three quotes in keeping with the town’s procurement policy.

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