City OKs emergency infrastructure work

City workers repairing water main break. / Troy Record photo

Troy's new mayor, Carmella Mantello, is wasting no time address deteriorating water main pipes and leaking pumps that have been ongoing issues.

Her administration says repairs are needed as soon as possible at the Eddy’s Lane Pump Station, which affects more than 100,000 residents and multiple municipalities from south of Rensselaer County northwest to the Town of Halfmoon in Saratoga County.

“We’re going to do whatever we have to do to correct it immediately,” Mantello said. “I did contact Troy Housing Executive Director Deb Witkowski because right below here is an affordable housing community.”

That housing community has more than 50 residents. One of the major issues is if the facility were to flood, the water would also come down the hill and flood surrounding homes, inundating the area with millions of gallons of water.

City Engineer Russ Reeves, who also is Troy's commissioner of Public Utilities, said the situation is a public safety concern and is the main reason for the emergency declaration. The declaration allows the city to start designing and implementing the repairs.

“The water line care and replacement would take three to four months to complete,” Reeves said, "because each level has to be planned with tremendous coordination.”

It was explained that intense coordination will be required because engineers will have only 12 hours to make the repairs once it starts.

City officials estimate the cost of repairs at more than $100,000. They hope to begin the work within the next few weeks. The project will take at least two months to complete.

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