HARTWICK - Town officials said Monday night that it is likely construction on the $1.7 million upgrade to the Hartwick water system will be delayed until spring.

During a board of water commissioners meeting, engineer Wayne Bunn said that before construction may begin, the federal funding for the project must be "locked-in."

The town is waiting to receive a "letter of conditions" which will confirm the grant and loan funds and allow them to begin the bidding process. Bunn said that originally they had hoped to begin construction in October. The earliest he expects to receive the letter of conditions now would be October 1, which is the beginning of the new federal fiscal year.

"Hartwick is a priority project and is on the short list," he said.

Bunn said that even if the funding was in place in early October, they would be starting to get into the early winter season and beginning construction then could mean having sidewalks torn up all winter.

"I like the idea of not breaking ground in the late fall," said town supervisor Carol Niedzialkowski.

The construction start date is a "moving target" right now and maybe it would be better to be ready to go as soon as the weather breaks in the spring, Bunn said.

Prices for the materials needed for the project - steel, concrete and oil - are high right now and may have stabilized by spring, Bunn added.

But before the town may proceed with construction, all the required easements from property owners must be in place.

Niedzialkowski said there about 35 easements remaining to be signed out of the more than 200 required for the project.

"I only see a handful that could be an issue for one reason for another; maybe two or three," Niedzialkowski.

"This is normal," said Bunn. "You get down to a few and you have to sit down with them one-to-one and resolve the problem."

The town has recently completed drilling a new well for a second source of water and now needs to conduct pump tests to make certain there is an adequate supply, Bunn said.

Niedzialkowski said they are currently waiting for well driller Cliff Reed to return to test the well which will require pumping for 48 to 72 hours continuously.

"We've hit water and it looks good, but we have to have it tested. We're optimistic," she said.

Town board member David Butler said the 8-inch well is down between 120 and 130 feet and that they hope it will provide 100 gallons a minute.