BY ANDREAS YILMA
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
NAUGATUCK — Connecticut Water has begun the installation of few thousands feet of water main in downtown ahead of the scheduled downtown infrastructure upgrades.
The water company will install about six-tenths of a mile, or 3,300 feet of water main on Church Street between Rubber Avenue and Division Street, Rubber Avenue between Water Street and Church Street, Barnum Court and Park Place. The cost of the project is about $2.4 million which will be funded through the Water Infrastructure and Conservation Adjustment on customer bills, according to a news release on May 18.
“The new main replaces existing pipe that is approximately 130 years old. Four fire hydrants will also be replaced as part of the project,” the release states. “The main and fire hydrants will provide additional fire protection for public safety and improved water quantity and quality to area residents.”
Work hours for the construction project will be from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. during the weekdays and the project is expected to be finished by August, according to the release.
“Investing in drinking water infrastructure improves water system reliability and enhances water quality,” stated Vice President of Service Delivery, Rose Gavrilovic. “When customers turn on the tap they expect high-quality water, without interruption. This investment in new water main will serve customers for decades to come.”
Customers in the construction area have been notified of the project and will receive advance notice of any scheduled water service interruption because of the water main installation project, according to the release.
Naugatuck Public Works Director Jim Stewart said the water company moved up their work in schedule before the borough’s downtown work.
The Board of Mayor and Burgesses approved in Feb. of 2022, to contract with Kleinfelder Engineering, of San Diego, to design storm water and sanitary sewer systems, offer construction oversight of the design, and to oversee a plan to repair, replace and improve those systems.
The borough will pay for that project with its federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. The downtown areas that would be affected include Church Street, Maple Street, Old Firehouse Road and Parcel B near the Naugatuck Event Center.
The goal for Connecticut Water is to replace roughly 1% of its more than 1,850 miles of water main every year through the WICA program. The company plans to invest more than $52 million in water treatment, water storage and pipelines in 2023, the release states.
Connecticut Water is a public water utility that is regulated by the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority and provides water service to more than 106,000 customers in 60 state towns
