WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2023
The completion of repairs to a water tower in Elmont, New York, have reportedly been pushed back to November, as the surrounding community waits for the town’s name to be painted on the structure.
According to a report from the LI Herald, the repairs were initially to be completed by the second week of July, but the contractor, NUCO Painting Corporation, has now extended the deadline to November.
Michael Tierney, superintendent of the Water Authority of Western Nassau County, stated that his agency is looking into why the process has been delayed and is working to to get repairs back on schedule.
“It doesn’t make us happy because we need this tank back in service,” Tierney said. “It does a lot for our water system.”
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| Google Maps/ Western Nassau County |
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The completion of repairs to a water tower in Elmont, New York, have reportedly been pushed back to November, as the surrounding community waits for the town’s name to be painted on the structure. |
About the Project
In a 2020 letter to Nassau County Legislator Carrie Solages, Elmont resident Dwayne Palmer described the town’s water tower as an “eyesore,” and residents of the Elmont community had requested that the tower be repaired.
A coalition of community members—including the Elmont Strong group, the Argo Civic Association, other civic associations and individual community members with concerns about the tower’s state of disrepair—have also reportedly joined to form a campaign for the tower’s rehabilitation.
The report stated that the first phase of the project involved moving cellular carriers and Nassau County Police Department communication antennas from the tower.
Interior repairs to the tank reportedly began in September 2022, including abrasive blasting to clear off corrosive elements to make the tank usable. Exterior repairs reportedly began in the spring.
“As a community member, I am happy to see that the tower is being rehabilitated,” Palmer said. “Once they broke ground, they pretty much kept their word.”
Palmer stated that he expected that the entire structure of the tower would be in usable condition by the end of the year. Accomplishing this reportedly would mean the removal of contaminants from the water supply so that the community receives clean water, as well as the tower being beautified.
Palmer added that beautifying the tower is important to protect property values so that they do not get driven down by keeping an “ugly, uncared for public utility in the heart of Elmont.”
Improvements to the tower are reportedly overdue, according to Solages, who expressed how thankful he was that this and other water infrastructure issues were being addressed after community campaigns.
“I’m thankful that the water tower reflects the beautiful community of Elmont, and I’m looking forward to other improvements in the community,” stated Solages.
At first, officials stated that repairs would take four years to complete, but after pressure from the community, the timeline was shortened to only two years. Tierney estimated that 40% of the exterior work on the tank had been completed at the time of the most recent postponement announcement.
Tierney added that the water authority is working to get the project back on schedule after making a personal promise to the community about the water tower’s rehabilitation.
“We want it done as much as the community wants it done,” Tierney said.
The contractor has reportedly worked on other water tanks throughout the tri-state area since 2000. The estimated cost for the improvement project for the water tower is more than $3 million.
More Water Tank News
Earlier this month, a water tower in Muscoda, Wisconsin, was reportedly being repainted after an initial job was done incorrectly, leaving one letter tilted off-angle in comparison to the rest of the village’s name.
According to the report, residents of the town had first noticed the mistake, sharing photos on social media of the “tilted s.” Later, village officials reportedly notified the community via Facebook that they were aware of the issue and that the contractors responsible would fix the mistake at their own expense.
The report states that the repainting should be wrapped up by the end of the weekend. Until it is finished, people driving through Muscoda may reportedly see the town’s name partially doubled as the contractor’s paint over the error.
According to News 3 Now, this isn’t the first-time southern Wisconsin has had an issue like this. A previous water tower error in 2010 reportedly left a water tower in Stoughton painted with an incorrect version of the town’s name. The painting crew reportedly missed the second “t” in the name, making it appear as “Stoughon.”
At the time, Stoughton residents reportedly told News 3 Now that the mistake was humorous, while others said they didn’t even notice initially.
Officials reportedly stated that most who took notice kept a good attitude about the error. The contractor who had initially been hired to paint the $1.2 million tower also reportedly returned to fix the error at no cost to the city.
“My wife called me on the way home and said, ‘You’ve got to take a look at the water tower. It’s spelled wrong,” said Chris Nygaard, who lived nearby at the time of the report.
“I mean, you have to laugh at it…What else can you do? It is kind of funny.”
Tagged categories: Coating Application; Coatings; Exterior painting; Ongoing projects; Paint application; Program/Project Management; Rehabilitation/Repair; Surface Preparation; Tower; Water Tanks
