Watertown to undertake $6.6 million in water main projects

May 15—WATERTOWN — City Water Superintendent Vicky Murphy wishes that she could replace all of the transite piping in the city's water main system.

The transite piping "just disintegrates" during water main breaks, she said.

Transite piping, or asbestos-cement pipe, was commonly used during the mid-1900s in water distribution systems, but its manufacture was phased out during the 1980s.

A little more than 5,000 feet of transite piping along sections of five city streets — or just a fraction of that type of pipe that remains under city streets — will be removed as the city is spending $6,633,582 of its first $11,340,703 in American Rescue Plan Act funding for water main replacement projects. The remaining $4.7 million in the city's first ARPA phase will go toward repairing or replacing the Flynn Municipal Pool at North Elementary School and a downtown streetscape project planned through the city's 2017 Downtown Revitalization Initiative.

In August, the City Council allocated the $6.6 million to cover 11 water main projects this year. One project, replacing 1,200 feet of 4-inch cast-iron water lines on Tilden Street, was completed last summer at a cost of $363,582 in ARPA money.

Now the city is about to embark on its largest investment ever in water main projects with the use of ARPA money.

The projects collectively add up to 20,102 feet, or 3.8 miles of new steel pipe to be installed.

"To me, this is huge," Ms. Murphy said.

The water main projects vary in size and cost, from $200,000 to $1.4 million. In a typical year, maybe one or two of these projects would get done, but the ARPA money is allowing the city to do all of that work in a short amount of time.

And all of that work is needed, Ms. Murphy said. The projects will replace piping that has deteriorated over time or, in some cases, are original lines. According to city data, there have been 66 water main breaks over the years in the areas that are being updated.

The piping is undersized for fire protection and "has been in service beyond its use expectancy," according to a memo provided by City Manager Kenneth A. Mix to the City Council.

The biggest water main project will replace 6,058 feet of pipe on sections of Barben Avenue, Holcomb Street and Bugbee Drive. Some of the piping dates back to 1940 and there have been 48 breaks since 1994. Cement-lined cast-iron pipe on Barben Avenue from Washington to Holcomb Street installed in 1940 has accounted for 23 of those breaks. That project will cost an estimated $1.4 million.

One project includes replacing 676 feet of 4-inch cast-iron pipe along Burlington Street that dates back to 1907, and another 109 feet of piping on another block of Burlington Street that's 88 years old. That project is slated for next year.

The water main projects are in the design stage and other projects are slated to start next fall.

With the volume of projects to be done, the city has retained multiple local engineering firms for design work. In typical years, the city would hire a single firm to get plans together for the one or two water replacements that would get done.

As the nation's supply chain issues and inflation continue, it might be tough to get construction material for the projects, Mr. Mix said.

Or, material costs may increase. The cost of cement and steel have increased.

The city has already ordered piping for the water main projects, but the company placed a $31,000 surcharge on the material, ensuring the vendor doesn't cancel the order, Mr. Mix said.

The city is purchasing the water distribution material from Ferguson Waterworks, Syracuse, which was the low-bidder at $393,957.20 for 11,955 different-sized pipes and $108,407.70 for 99,000 elbows and other pipe fittings needed for the projects.

The city normally doesn't order material for water main projects; it's the responsibility of the general contractor on the project, Mr. Mix said.

But in these days of the nation's construction material shortages, the city went forward and ordered the material on its own, "so it's here when they need it," he said.

The city placed the order on March 6 with the Syracuse company. So far, none of it has been delivered.

However, the city isn't just sitting and waiting for the material to be delivered, City Engineer Michael Delaney said.

He said he's tracking the inventory to find out the status of the order.

"We're doing everything we can to get it," he said.

The city is required to have ARPA construction contracts in place by the end of 2024 and for projects to be finished by Dec. 31, 2026.

Ms. Murphy is pleased so many water lines will finally be replaced.

But those remaining transite pipes will continue to cause headaches with water main breaks, Ms. Murphy said.

Asbestos is contained on the outside of the cement pipes. In Watertown, the mineral was used mainly from the 1940s until the 1970s, and its lifespan is about 70 years, so Ms. Murphy expects more breaks to occur as time goes by.

"When it goes, it just falls apart," she said.

That compares to "pin-hole" leaks with other types of piping in the city's water distribution center, Ms. Murphy said.

According to the city's 2021 Water Quality Report, the city lost 798,922,875 gallons, or 37.4% attributed to leaks, flushing and fires. Last year, the Water Treatment Plant produced 2,135,571,000 gallons of water.

The $6.6 million in water projects chosen for ARPA funding were identified as priorities from a list of 26 projects. It would cost an estimated $19.9 million to fix them all. That is pared down from a total of 45 projects identified as necessary in the future, according to the memo from Mr. Mix.

And the ARPA funded projects are just making a small dent in what is needed in replacements and repairs for the 110 miles of water mains that exist underground in the city, Ms. Murphy said.

"We have some really old pipes," she said.

The piping under sections of Stone Street and Public Square date back to 1889 or earlier. The newest pipes were installed last year on the Tilden Street project.

Her department has put together documents that list 445 locations of pipes throughout the city.

"Not all of this can get done in my lifetime," Ms. Murphy said.

The 12 pages of documents include information about the type of piping, the diameter of the piping, when it was installed and its length.

While planning has started on the first round of water main projects, the city is using nearly $11 million in its second-phase ARPA funds to pay for a variety of quality of life projects, including at Zoo New York, Thompson Park and with the Parks and Recreation Department.

The following are the water main projects selected to be completed in Phase 1.

Barben Avenue/Holcomb Street/Bugbee Drive $1.4 million

This project includes the replacement of 2,534 feet of 8-inch cement-lined, cast-iron pipe on Barben Avenue, from Washington Street to Holcomb Street. The pipe was installed in 1940 and has had 23 breaks since 1994. The replacement of about 1,370 feet of 8-inch cement-lined, cast-iron pipe on Holcomb Street, Mullen Street to Ten Eyck and Chestnut to Barben Avenue. The pipe was installed in 1948 and 1959 and has had 16 breaks since 1993. The replacement of 1,373 feet of 6-inch transite pipe on Bugbee Drive (installed in 1965) and 781 feet of 8-inch transite pipe on Bugbee Drive (Holcomb to Harris, installed in 1959). The pipe has had nine breaks since 1995.

Burlington Street Water Main $280,000

This project includes the replacement of 109 feet of 4-inch cast-iron pipe from Main Street East to Lynde Street East, installed in 1934, and 676 feet of 4-inch cast-iron pipe from Lynne Street East to St. Mary Street, installed in 1907. The pipe is undersized for fire protection and has been in use beyond its life expectancy.

Division Street East Water Main $500,000

This project includes the replacement of 1,443 feet of 10-inch transite pipe on East Division Street, from Woodbury Street to Starbuck Avenue. The pipe was installed from 1951 to 1955 and has been in service beyond its use expectancy.

East Street Water Main $200,000

This project includes the replacement of 491 feet of 4-inch cast-iron pipe from Main Street East to Moulton Street, installed in 1940. The pipe is undersized for fire protection and the pipe has been in service beyond its use expectancy.

Henry Street/Grant Street Water Mains $400,000

This project includes the replacement of 1,020 feet of 4-inch cast-iron pipe on Grant Street. The pipe is undersized for fire protection. The replacement of 180 feet of 6-inch transite pipe on Henry Street. The pipe was installed in 1955 and has been in service beyond its use expectancy.

Ohio Street Water Main $900,000

This project includes the replacement of 584 feet of 10-inch cast-iron pipe from Indiana Avenue to Colorado Avenue and the replacement of 1,899 feet of 10-inch transite pipe from Colorado Avenue to Eastern Boulevard, installed in 1959. There have been four breaks since 2005 and the pipe has been in use beyond its life expectancy.

Pratt Street Water Main $650,000

This project includes the replacement of 461 feet of 6-inch cast-iron pipe on Pratt Street from Sherman Street to Ball Avenue installed in 1935. The replacement of 632 feet of 6-inch transite pipe on Pratt Street, installed in 1935, from Ball Avenue to Holcomb Street. The replacement of 327 feet of transite pipe, installed in 1954, from Holcomb Street to its end. The pipes have been in service beyond their use expectancy.

Seward Street Water Main $200,000

This project includes the replacement of 395 feet of 4-inch cast-iron pipe on Seward Street, from Hancock Street to Grant Street. The pipe is undersized for fire protection.

Sherman Street Water Main $390,000

This project includes the replacement of 1,141 feet of 8-inch transite pipe from Butterfield Avenue to Iroquois Avenue West, installed in 1943. The pipe has been in service beyond its use expectancy.

Thompson Street Water Main $350,000

This project includes the replacement of 938 feet of 8-inch transite pipe on Thompson Street, from West Lynde Street to Gale Street. The pipe was installed in 1958 and has been in service beyond its use expectancy.

Tilden Street Water Main $363,582

This project includes the replacement of 1,200 feet of 4-inch cast-iron main with an 8-inch ductile iron pipe to address inadequate line pressures and fire flow volumes.

Winslow Street Water Main $1 million

This project includes the replacement of 945 feet of 6-inch cast-iron pipe from Washington Street to Gotham Street and 1,603 feet of 4-inch cast-iron pipe from Gotham Street to Franklin Street. The pipe is undersized for fire protection and has been in service beyond its use expectancy.