RIDGWAY — Ridgway Borough Council addressed some further water issues on Monday during the board’s regular monthly meeting.

This time, Jane Bryndel spoke before council on behalf of the Ridgway YMCA.

Bryndel said the YMCA ran into issues with the borough’s water while trying to refill its new pool. She said the YMCA filled its pool twice using borough water, but each time the pool’s surface was stained due to high manganese in the water.

Bryndel said the YMCA’s water appeared fine, but once enough was used to fill the pool, problems arose.

Ridgway Borough Manager Paul McCurdy said the issues arose due to the extra chlorine in the water. He added the YMCA did not do anything wrong, but added the situation could have been avoided if the YMCA and borough had talked before the “Y” emptied the pool.

The borough did consult the YMCA after the first filling, and a few measures were taken to address the issue, but a second filling did not fix the issue, although it did improve.

In total, approximately 80,000 gallons were used, according to McCurdy.

To get the pool filled, the Ridgway Volunteer Fire Department hauled water from the Lyle G. Hall Community Pool to the YMCA.

As a result of the incident, the YMCA was left with a $1,800 bill, which is far greater than its usual $80 per month bill.

Bryndel asked the borough to split the bill with the YMCA. The borough agreed by a 4 to 3 vote to split the bill.

A significant amount of discussion went into the issue prior to a vote.

Several councilmen worried that approving the request would set a precedent for borough residents to ask for similar bill reductions.

Councilman Dale Anderson worried that council would be setting a precedent by approving the request and that he was hesitant to vote for it. He added that he would be willing to support the YMCA with his own money but not with the borough’s.

Anderson voted against splitting the bill, as did council president Ralph Dussia and Councilman Steve Keener.

Dussia said that he did not want to see residents lined up at the borough building with similar requests.

Councilmen J.R. Geitner and Frank Quattrone countered that the YMCA is a community-supporting organization that is also a non-profit agency.

There is a difference between the YMCA and individual residents, it was noted.

While council approved a motion to split the YMCA’s bill, McCurdy also gave an update into the borough’s attempts to make changes at the water treatment plant in an attempt to remove more manganese so that it does not build up in the borough’s pipes.

McCurdy said he has filed information with the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in support of starting a pilot program in the borough to test the effects of chlorine dioxide.

McCurdy has previously said that chlorine dioxide is a known chemical used in other water systems, but the borough is still required to follow strict DEP guidelines regarding changes in its water system.