JOHNSTOWN - The state Department of Health's annual inspection of the city's public water supply found minor problems that have been or are being addressed, City Engineer Chad Kortz told the city Water Board Monday night.

"They're very happy [with the water system]," Kortz said of state inspectors.

Board members reviewed a Nov. 30 letter sent by Sarah L. Nowalk, a senior sanitary engineer with DOH's Herkimer district office, to Johnstown Mayor Sarah Slingerland and the board. Nowalk and DOH staffer Rob Swider conducted an inspection of the city's water system Oct. 22.

"They [state inspectors] picked on some really minor things," Kortz said.

New Senior Water Treatment Plant Operator Michael Hlozansky said the inspection resulted in "actually a very [highly regarded] report."

Kortz said the annual DOH inspection includes the entire water system, treatment plants, Maylender Reservoir and some water mains. Areas checked included the Cork Center filtration plant, Hydaddy Reservoir and the Christman filtration plant.

The DOH inspection findings included one item that noted deteriorating railing along the spillway at Hydaddy Reservoir, for which repairs are planned. Inspectors also said a lock needs to be provided on the bottom access plate of the clearwell tank ladder at the Cork Center facility.

The inspection also alluded to the Johnson Avenue chlorine booster and pumping station that only serves homes along Johnson Avenue and West Fulton Street Extension whose well water became contaminated or threatened by the now-closed landfill. There are two booster pumps within the station that alternate pumping water to the Johnson Avenue storage tank and customers within this service area.

"There is currently no alternate power provided at the pump station," Nowalk wrote. "Therefore, in the event of a power outage, the customers in the service area would have to rely on the amount of water in the storage tank at the time of the outage."

Kortz said the Water Department will provide a generator outlet outside the Johnson Avenue building, to which city generators can be plugged in.

"That was perfectly acceptable to them," he said.

The state also requested an updated schedule for the Maylender Reservoir covered-tank project.

Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.