In addition to its historic investment of 225 million dollars in the water systems, the HEMPStead Town Supervisor, Don Clavin, announced the replacement of a 70 -year -old water tower in Unionndale with a new and late generation water storage tank that will serve its community during the next decades.
The existing storage tank, originally built in 1955, measures 175 feet high and will withdraw after many years of service.
Due to its antiquity and the estimated maintenance and improvements expense, the Town opted for a more profitable approach in building a completely new water tower that will provide clean water efficiently to residents for the next generation.
“Maintaining our drinking water infrastructure is a crucial part of the public health protection of our city,” said the Hempstead supervisor, Don Clavin, during the press conference held on January 21 at the Town Water Treatment Plant located in Garden City.
«As this water tower ages, more work and money are required to ensure that you can continue serving your community, and it is time for a change. This project represents our commitment to the continuous improvement of our water systems, and we expect the benefits that it will bring to the current and future residents of Hempstead Town, ”said Republican Clavin.
The new water tower in Unionndale will be built with a concrete pedestal base and a steel tank composed at the top. Their steel supports will not be exposed to the elements as in ancient tanks, which makes them easier and more economical to maintain.
The Hempstead Town plans to present a tender for construction this summer and expects the construction process to take about 18 months. The tank is expected to be in full functioning for the summer of 2027.
This project is far from being the only improvement in water infrastructure undertaken by the Hempstead Town. In the last five years, the city has compromised $ 225 million in water treatment projects, including the incorporation of multiple advanced oxidation process treatment systems (AOP) and granular activated carbon (GAC) to treat emerging pollutants such as PFAS in 20 of its wells.
More than $ 85 million have been obtained in federal and state funds for these projects, and Hempstead officials continue to advocate more. The city, along with more than two dozen water suppliers in Long Island, is also carrying out litigation against pollutants to recover the costs of manufacturers responsible for putting these pollutants on the ground.
“We are proud of the efforts of our city for being proactive in maintaining our ability to provide residents with an efficient and effective water service,” said Clavin.
«All these projects focus on ensuring that our drinking water remains of the highest quality and at the lowest possible cost for taxpayers. The city is dedicated to staying at the forefront of water treatment technology for the improvement of the 800,000 inhabitants of Long Island to which we serve, ”he concluded.
