By Jason Klaiber
Staff Writer
The town of DeWitt has planned for a private contractor to replace water mains along portions of Taft Avenue, North Avenue, Craigie Street and Dunlap Avenue over the next few months.
The construction project, scheduled to begin this week, will consist of the installation of new 6-foot-wide, 21-foot-long water mains as well as fire hydrants and water services.
“We’ve felt that it would be better to spend the money and replace the pipes instead of continuing to interrupt service with water main breaks,” Mathew Reynolds, the town’s water superintendent, said.
The water will be chlorinated, pressure tested and approved by the Onondaga County Health Department. Crews will then start transferring affected residents over to new copper services. During the switchover process, ends of the mains will be cut and capped to prevent sinkholes.
Temporary shutdowns of water service will be scheduled to allow for connections between the existing and replacement infrastructure.
According to Reynolds, residents will be notified of these interruptions 24 hours ahead of time by way of a flyer.
“We do everything we can not to have any unscheduled shutdowns,” Reynolds said. “We try to keep everyone as informed as we can.”
The project has been scheduled to wrap up in August, but Reynolds said he presumed it will be finished sometime earlier in the summer.
The number of on-site workers has not yet been determined. Water department personnel will also be present in each area to inspect the work.
Heavy equipment and construction materials will be used on the roadways throughout work zones. As a result, the town advises individuals nearby to maintain safe distances and avoid parking vehicles on the road in active construction zones. Any pets around these areas are expected to be kept indoors or behind fences.
Disturbances to pavement, driveways and lawns will be restored by the contractor prior to the completion of the project. The highway department will repave the roads as well.
The contractor’s working hours will generally extend from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, call the water department at 315-446-3910, ext. 4.
