Williston Park’s proposed project to replace the 90-year-old Syracuse Street water tower is estimated to cost about $442,000 more than estimated last year, Bill Merklin, senior vice president at D&B Engineers, said at Monday’s public hearing.
The current estimated cost is $7,344,000.
Cost increases are due to inflation, as well as poor soil conditions found below the foundation of the tank.
The loose soil is not adequate to support the foundation, and will be removed and replaced before the new tower is constructed, Merklin said.
Another cost increase is to make the tower feasible for cellular carrier provisions in case the village chooses to use it for this purpose in the future.
Other improvements required to meet regulations also contribute to the cost increases, Merklin said.
The village board also invited board members from East Williston to meet in an open meeting before the public session, since the neighboring village uses Williston Park water.
Two East Williston trustees, Christopher Siciliano and Anthony Casella, attended the presentation from Merklin.
Siciliano and Casella expressed no concern with the project or how it is being handled.
The new tank will be a spheroid style and about the same height as the old tank and placed in the same location.
It will hold the same 500,000 gallons of water.
The village will open bids on July 12 and award a contract on July 27.
There are potentially four bidders, and two have already expressed interest, Merklin said.
On-site construction will start in mid-September, and the new tank will be placed in service in June 2019.
If all goes according to plan, by the fall of 2019 there will be no more activity on the site, Merklin said.
The construction is being done in the winter to avoid peak demands periods for water, Merklin said.
Williston Park will have an open interconnection with Mineola during the construction.
Merklin said if maintained and cared for there is no reason the new tank won’t last another 90 to 100 years.
