EASTHAMPTON — The first part of the New City area infrastructure construction has begun, with the replacement of 100-year-old piping underneath the streets and houses in the area.
Driving along Lower Mill Pond on Emerald Place, there are pink cinder blocks that help guide hundreds of feet of tubing along the street. The construction is part of the New City Master Plan that consists of four different phases.
Designs for the entire New City Master Plan project were presented to the City Council at its Sept. 17 meeting, though they were not finalized at the time and this portion of construction is a small piece.
The construction started in October, replacing more than 1,100 feet of waterline, along with the hydrants and other infrastructure between Clinton and Lincoln streets.
“They’re 100-year-old pipes and the hydrants are getting old,” said Johanna Stacy, senior planner at the Planning Department.
During this replacement, the piping that can be seen above ground is a temporary water system for residences in the area. Stacy said it is expected for water to return to the regular system by Dec. 15, with final repaving completed next spring.
The current pipes are made out of 6-inch, asbestos-cement piping, a common material used in the early 1900s that Stacy said tends to crack and break easily. The new pipes will be 8-inch, ductile iron piping which lasts more than 100 years. The project was contracted to Baltazar Contractors Inc. through a competitive bid process.
“This work is not usually done during this time of the year because it’s cold, but there is a funding deadline,” Stacy said.
Funding for the construction and project oversight comes from a 2024 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) worth roughly $670,000, which must be used by the end of the year.
The funding was originally intended for the city’s Town Lodging House project which has been postponed. Stacy said fortunately the funds could cover the cost of the current construction.
Along with the pipes, all fire hydrants are going to be replaced, with new cut-off valves that create a more efficient system. Stacy said the current valves are spread far apart, meaning when the city needs to cut off the water supply, it affects many houses there.
With the valves closer together, fewer residents will have their water cut off at those times. Residents in the area were previously contacted by the city to inform them of the construction.
Future projects at Emerald Place and more broadly in New City include revisions to the water and sewer drainage system, sidewalk expansion and restoration of the slope next to the pond.
Stacy said there is no projected timeline for future phases, due to limited funding sources. The city will seek further CDBG money, along with other grants.