JOHNSTOWN - The Common Council on Monday approved hiring a Latham engineering firm to study the daily water demands of Fage USA.
Fage's water use is expected to increase over the next five years.
The council resolution mirrors action taken by the city Water Board April 9. That board passed a resolution approving a $6,750 contract with C.T. Male Associates to study the yogurt manufacturer's water supply.
Mayor Sarah Slingerland said before the council meeting that the water board is paying the fee to C.T. Male.
"This was reviewed and passed by the water board," she told the council. "They're pretty thorough."
Fage USA officials have said they will break ground on construction of the $125 million expansion project this spring. Fage will build a 120,000-square-foot addition to its plant on Opportunity Drive and construct a new parking lot. The expansion also includes a whey pretreatment plant to be built on nearby property on Union Avenue.
The company employs 150 people and wants to double the local workforce to 300 with the expansion.
Fage officials already have notified the water board the company uses 91 million gallons of city water annually, and it might use 260 million gallons of water a year by 2016.
The council resolution states Fage USA will require increases in its daily water demands each year over the next five years.
The company is "seeking assurance" from the water board that "future potable water needs can be supplied by the water system."
Under the contract, C.T. Male Associates will determine the capacity of the system to meet Fage's needs, the resolution stated.
Michael Anich can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.