Utility Management

Building the Largest-Yielding Domestic Water Supply Wells in New York

Sept. 20, 2018

Town uses precast concrete buildings to house treatment equipment

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Water is a precious resource that some take for granted. The residents and town officials of New Windsor, N.Y., do not fall into that category. They have spent decades searching for an affordable, high-quality source.

New Windsor arrived at the decision to build a new system after sourcing its water from wells from the 1970s until the town grew beyond the well capacity. Then the Catskill Aqueduct supplied the town with water; most recently it cost the town $1.2 million in payments to New York City. In addition to the growing price tag, the water supply occasionally was shut down because of poor quality. The long process finally paid off when the town was fortunate enough, through research and testing, to discover a significant aquifer.

The town is now sourcing water from its own system of three wells for its 23,000 residents and those of the neighboring town of Newburgh, N.Y., which lost its Delaware Aqueduct source due to tunnel construction under the Hudson River.

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The Solution

A water filtration building and three well houses make up the new system, and these facilities are comprised of precast concrete buildings. The town engineers selected Easi-Set buildings manufactured by Oldcastle Precast Inc.—an Easi-Set building licensed producer in Easton, Pa.—for the speed of construction, durability, corrosion resistance and affordability. The three well houses are 22-by-28-ft Easi-Set buildings. The water filtration building is a 70-by-105-ft Easi-Set building; Oldcastle manufactured the walls for this structure. All the buildings were erected by Darlind Associates Inc. of Lagrangeville, N.Y. Easi-Set buildings are custom solutions manufactured in a factory and installed in a few hours or days, minimizing the effects of weather, trades coordination and labor issues.

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The Results

New Windsor officials were under a deadline to complete the project in time for the shutdown of the Catskill Aqueduct, and they met that deadline. The buildings were delivered in February, and the water system was completed by August. The total project cost about $20 million, with $12 million contributed by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

Each well yields more than 1,000 gal per minute for a total water supply of 6.4 million gal per day—twice the town’s average daily demand.

“The town is proud to say that these wells are no doubt the largest-yielding domestic water supply wells in the state of New York,” said Dick McGoey, P.E., with New Windsor-based McGoey, Hauser & Edsall D.P.C. The firm serves as the engineers for the town of New Windsor.

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“Prefabricated precast concrete buildings are constructed in climate-controlled environments, ensuring quality control measures are met,” said Moffette Tharpe, managing director of Easi-Set. “They are a trusted source for the water and wastewater market because they do not deteriorate in wet or humid conditions. Within weeks of planning, a customized building can be off the assembly line and installed at the jobsite.”