Esopus will receive a grant of nearly $2.5 million from the state Environmental Facilities Corporation to help pay the $4.3 million cost of replacing water lines and upgrading the town's water treatment plant.
The lines are nearly 90 years old and Esopus Supervisor Shannon Harris said the pipe replacements will cover nearly 2 miles, according to the Daily Freeman.
“When we did the engineering study of our drinking water system, it included a report and mapping...for a grant to implement any of the improvements that were prioritized,” said Harris. “So we applied for a water infrastructure improvement grant and we were successful for the maximum amount.”
Estimates include: $199,000 for electrical system upgrades and a standby generator; $366,000 for structural improvements; and $229,000 for processing and mechanical items.
The study noted lowest overall flows are in the hamlet of Connelly and the western portion of the hamlet of Port Ewen.
The existing smaller lines increase the time it takes water to reach customers, resulting in water staying in the pipes in some low-flow areas for 200 to 400 hours. The maximum amount of time water should remain in pipes is 158 hours, however, according to a town consultant.
The planned work will reduce long-term costs for repairs, according to Harris.
“We’ve been maintaining and putting Band Aids on the broken water mains that we have, but nobody’s ever made any major repairs or updates at all,” said Harris. “So there’s so much to be done. This is where we have to direct our limited resources to getting this done now before all the grants dry up.”
