HANNAWA FALLS -- Potsdam’s Recreation director is hoping Postwood Park Beach will open as soon as Saturday, July 25.

Despite scorching heat recently, the town-owned beach has been closed and without lifeguards all season because of broken water treatment equipment.

Director Trey Smutz said he hopes a new UV filtration system will arrive in time to be installed and tested by Thursday.

“I hope to be open by the end of week, but if a sample isn’t submitted by Thursday, the collection plant in Waddington is closed on Fridays so we would have to wait for Monday to submit. The beach can’t be opened before this,” Smutz said.

“The filtration system is needed to clean any bacteria from the water intake for the washroom. A sample must be submitted to the Dept. of Health before our beach permit can be issued,” he said.

“We were working on the old system for more than two weeks to get things going, but the system ultimately needed to be replaced by a specific standard 55 class A UV system. So last week I went ahead and spent more than $2,000 on this new Pro20 system.”

In the meantime, the beach at Sandstoner Park, Pine Street, Potsdam is open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.