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Overcast New York American Water plans for more water main replacements
New York American Water is continuing work to replace water mains in Valley Stream, most recently with the water main that lies under Jamaica Avenue from Rockaway Avenue to Grove Street. The project, which began on June 28, is expected to take about six weeks to complete.
“We’re always upgrading our aging infrastructure,” said Chris Buday, vice president of operations for New York American Water.
To replace the water main, contractors need to bury a new 8-inch cement-lined water main next to the original 2-inch water main and put a temporary patch over the road where the water main would be installed. Once the company gets approval from the New York State Department of Health, the new water main will be connected to the houses.
That is not expected to happen until at least August, however, according to a news release from New York American Water. The final step of the project includes resurfacing the road, which should be completed within three weeks. The resurfacing is expected to begin around Aug. 9.
In the meantime residents in the area can expect roadwork from around 9 a.m. to around 3 p.m. during the week. According to Buday, the contractors should not be working on the weekends or at night. “It’s all set up so the impact on residents is as minimal as possible,” he said. “The worst case scenario is it [traffic] will go down to one lane,” he added.
After the project is completed, residents in the area could see increased water pressure coming from the new water main. Over time, water mains fill up with sediment from the ground, causing a decline in water pressure. “When people get the new pipe in they’re going to be really taken aback by the water pressure they see,” Buday said.
The sediment can also include iron, which may result in rust-colored water. A new water main would solve that issue for residents with newer pipes, but not for residents with galvanized pipes that were built in the 1920s through the 1970s. Those pipes are made from steel, and as they age, they release more iron into the water. If a resident does have rust-colored water after the new water main is installed, officials from New York American Water suggest that the resident runs the water from the spigot at the lowest level of the house for a few minutes and then run all of the other faucets for a few minutes.
New York American Water can be reached at (877) 426-6999 for any questions or concerns.
