The Suffolk County Water Authority completed two water main improvement projects in the Town of Huntington. Undersized water main on Queens Street and Hilltop Avenue was replaced with larger ductile water main. Further east in Centerport, more than 1,000 feet of undersized cast iron water main with low flow on Lakeside Drive was replaced with larger ductile iron water main. Both areas will see improvements to distribution of water, water pressure and improved fire protection.
“Undersized water mains can easily get overwhelmed when demand is high, causing those in the area to experience low pressure,” said SCWA Chairman Charles Lefkowitz. “Although peak demand season is over, next spring is right around the corner. Additionally, these new water mains will be less prone to leaks and breaks than their predecessors, making these areas more prepared to make it through the winter ahead.”
It is impossible to determine exactly when and where a water main break will occur, but the odds of them happening increase drastically during the colder months—especially when the pipes are at the end of their useful life. Water main breaks occur more often in the winter due to the ground movement when freezing and thawing occurs. New water mains are much more tolerant of these conditions as the material they are made of is much stronger than the old cast iron mains.
The Suffolk County Water Authority is an independent public-benefit corporation operating under the authority of the Public Authorities Law of the State of New York. Serving approximately 1.2 million Suffolk County residents, the Authority operates without taxing power on a not-for-profit basis.