City Council plans to borrow almost $2 million to replace a water main downtown and investigate the composition of the city’s water service pipes.
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Two bond ordinances, totaling $1.9 million, were introduced at the governing body’s July 10 regular meeting. A public hearing and final adoption is scheduled during City Council’s regular meeting tonight at 7 p.m.
The first ordinance (O-34-23) authorizes $950,000 for “the undertaking of the lead water service pipe replacement project.” There are approximately “5,000 water services where the composition of the pipes is unknown,” according to William George, the city’s public relations coordinator. Funding via the bond ordinance will be used to “complete an investigation of their compositions.” A service line is the section of pipe between the water main in the street and the meter inside the building on a property.
UPDATED, 8/8/23: The city determined the material composition of about 3,300 of 8,300 existing water services, about 40%. As part of the first phase of the Lead Service Line (LSL) Replacement Project, two test pilot programs determined test pitting to be more effective than swabbing. Several lead service lines were replaced in the pilot, he said via email. Eventually, all of the lead service lines will be replaced.
A July 2022 state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) service line inventory on the city’s website breaks down properties by street address, the composition of the public service and customer service lines, and whether the lead status is known. The city’s water mains and treatment plant do not contain any lead components, according to a memo from the Department of Engineering.
As part of a $3 million state grant for FY 2023, a LSL test pit project anticipated the “identification and eventual replacement of lead service lines from the main to the meter.” The project would only impact properties that received notice from the city in February 2022 “identified as potentially having lead service line or lead or galvanized components within their water service line, situated between the city’s water main and the meter on their property.”
The first phase of the project is nearing completion with test pitting of about 500 services and replacement of 12 known LSLs. The second phase is expected to go out to bid in the early fall with an anticipated completion of October 2024, including test pitting the remaining 5,000 LSLs and replacing about 100 known LSLs.
State and federal regulations mandate all LSLs to be removed by 2031.
The second ordinance (O-35-23) authorizes $950,000 for the replacement of water mains “at various locations.” The water main within Essex Street between Bridge and Monroe streets will be replaced, according to George.
Both ordinances include $100,000 to finance the cost, including architect’s fees, accounting, engineering and inspection costs, legal expenses and other expenses, including interest.
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