The Port Washington Water District on Tuesday proposed a $5.1 million project to replace the 80-year-old Beacon Hill Water Tower.
Officials said the elevated tank, located on Longview Road between Hillcrest and Beacon Hill, should be replaced to ensure the health, safety and sustainability of the district’s water supply system.
“We have reached a critical point with the Beacon Hill tank and must determine which of our options to improve its condition is best for the community,” Port Washington Water District Chairman David Brackett said. “Water towers do not last forever and, as the protectors of our water supply, it is our responsibility to collect feedback from the community and move forward with a plan that keeps our residents supplied with clean, high-quality water.”
The Beacon Hill water tank was built in the 1930s, and serves approximately half of the district’s 30,000 residents in the villages of Port Washington North, Manorhaven, Baxter Estates, Flower Hill and Plandome Manor.
After several inspections conducted by H2M Architects and Engineers, officials discovered various areas of concern in the existing tank, which “is at the end of its useful life,” District Superintendent Paul Granger said.
The inspections showed severe corrosion on the base of the roof vent and roof overhang, an exterior roof that is warped and in poor condition, and a “moderate: degree of concrete surface cracking.
To correct these issues, the district’s engineers have recommended selecting one of several different projects. These projects include replacing the 102-foot-tall steel structure with one of the same size, replacing the structure with ground-level storage tanks, or fixing the existing structure.
“The incremental cost of the tax service for this project is more around $30 to $35 per year,” Brackett said. He said Newsday had incorrectly reported this project would cost taxpayers between $53 and $133 over a 20-year period.
Brackett said financing for this project is already in place.
Bill Merklin, senior vice president at D&B Engineers and Architects P.C., said at a March 15 meeting that the water district favored replacing the existing tower with a new elevated pedestal spheroid tank rather than making repairs.
Merklin said this design will have limited connection points, as well as sharp and exposed edges, making it less susceptible to rust and discoloration.
The replacement option, he said, will also be less expensive to repair and maintain.
Construction of a completely new Beacon Hill tank as recommended, is estimated at $5.1 million with annual cost at $585,000 to the district.
Officials said this figure considers the new tank’s capital, operating and maintenance costs required over the next 45 years.
Officials said building a new tank would be a long-term investment and provide residents with a lower annual cost compared to rehabilitating the existing tank.
Repairing the existing tank is estimated at $3.2 million, but officials pointed out the tank will need to be replaced in 10-15 years making the cost higher in the long run.
“The replacement with another elevated tank is the least expensive of these two alternatives,” Brackett said.
Officials also said that although the short-term capital cost of rehabilitating the existing tank is less, the overall annual cost in a 45-year plan is greater because the estimates include the funds needed for the replacement tank within 15 years.
A third option considered was a ground storage tank and booster pumping station, which would cost $6.3 million, with the annual operating costs at $1.3 million.
District officials said ground storage tanks rely on electric pumps to keep pressure up at all times.
If power is lost to the pumps, the system will lose its pressure. With an elevated water tank, even during a power outage, resident’s homes and fire hydrants will remain pressurized.
“Elevated water towers are an essential part of the water supply system because, not only do they store clean water, they keep our homes and fire hydrants pressurized at all times,” Port Washington Water District Commissioner Mindy Germain said. “Given the tank’s position within the Beacon Hill neighborhood, the district has prioritized meeting with residents; ensuring they are supplied with facts; providing opportunities to submit feedback; and keeping lines of communication open before, during and after the completion of the project.”
Officials said they are still considering which option is best for the district, the residents, and the community as a whole.
