Mineola’s sewer main system was in need of replacement even before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.
According to Mayor Scott Strauss, the pipes that make it up are “80, 90 or 100 years old, depending on who you ask.”
Strauss said the pipes are cracking, falling apart and did not flow the right way, which caused backups.
The project to replace the main began in June and Strauss expects it to be finished in the next few months. It will cost about $1 million.
At the village board work session Wednesday, the board approved a payment of $228,939.34 to Bancker Construction Corp. in relation to the project.
“While they were doing the third track and all that construction, we kind of jumped on the opportunity,” Strauss said, adding that this was because the sewer line being replaced runs under the tracks of the Long Island Railroad.
Strauss said the project might cause some inconvenience to residents. The village has had to close some streets at times for the construction and an apartment building on Main Street had its driveway closed off for a number of days. Strauss said the construction has caused noise as well.
Overall, Strauss said the “negative impact to residents in that area was minimal” compared to that made by the ongoing construction of the Long Island Railroad expansion project.
Strauss also said at the meeting that Thursday is the last day the community pool will be open. Normally it remains open through Labor Day, but Strauss a person who works in an office at the pool grounds tested positive for COVID-19.
He said the office worker “does not have regular contact with the public” and that the village saw that the pool grounds were cleaned and sanitized per state guidelines.
Strauss said “nobody is at-risk that’s there,” but that some of the pool staff did not feel comfortable and opted not to return to work at the pool. Resulting staff shortages were the reason for the pool’s early closure.
“We had it open all year and it was a great run,” Strauss said. “Thankfully this happened now and not in July or August.”
