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UNIONDALE _____________
HERALD BEACON
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Town to replace water tower Uniondale project will total $10 million By JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO jdlessandro@liherald.com
After 70 years of use, Uniondale’s water tower will be replaced with a new structure. The tower, built in 1955, required frequent and expensive maintenance due to its age. Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin explained that the town’s previous plan — repairing the existing tower for $9 million — would cost nearly as much as building a new one. “Maintaining our drinking water infrastructure is a crucial part of protecting our town’s public health,” Clavin said at a Jan. 21 news conference. “As this water tower grows older, it requires more work and money to make sure it can continue serving its community, and it’s time for a change.” The new tower, made of concrete and composite steel, will be built using weather-resistant construction techniques to make it easier to maintain. It will be able to serve Uniondale for generations to come, Claivn said. The town plans to begin construction this summer, and the tower will be fully operational in 2027. Its reconstruction is a part of the town’s $225 million investment in its water sys-
Kelsie Radziski/Herald
The 70-year-old water tower in Uniondale will be replaced by 2027 in a Town of Hempstead project costing $10 million.
tems, in addition to $85 million in federal and state grants. Other water quality improvement projects include the addition of multiple advanced oxidation process and granular activated carbon treatment systems to its waterways, designed to treat contaminants coming out of ground water. The town is also pursuing litigation against the polluters who created a need for pollution-treatment plants. “We take pride in our town’s efforts to be proactive in maintaining our ability to provide residents with efficient and effective water service,” Clavin said. “These projects all focus around ensuring that our drinking water remains of the highest quality and at the lowest cost possible to ratepayers.” Community organizations in Uniondale have advocated for a new water tower for years. Pearl Jacobs has been president of Nostrand Gardens Civic Association for almost a decade. “I really became involved with civic engagement because of the disparity, inequality and lack of investment in Uniondale, which was, and to some extent still is, an underserved community,” Jacobs said. During her years as a comm u n i t y a c t iv i s t , s h e h a s ConTinUed on page 2