OCWA–Central New York’s Water Authority–will begin installation of a new water main along Church Street and Chestnut Street in the Village of North Syracuse starting Monday July 1st, 2019. The construction of this project will continue through the summer months to better provide OCWA customers with clean, safe and reliable drinking water. The following is an interview with OCWA’s project engineer, Stephen Drake, explaining key components of the work:
Map of the project area.
Q. Give us a brief overview of the project.
A. OCWA is replacing the water main on Church and Chestnut Streets in conjunction with the North Syracuse “Complete Streets” Corridor project. This Complete Streets project is designed to make the affected streets more navigable by widening the corridor by 13 feet on each side from Belmore Drive to Randall Terrace, as well as making a few additional traffic updates. Construction is expected to begin from the east end of Church Street at the Village of North Syracuse/Town of Cicero boundary line and continue to the intersection of Church Street and South Bay Road. Following that work will take place along Chestnut Street.
Q. When do you expect this project to begin and how long do you think it will take?
A. Construction will begin July 1st, 2019. OCWA’s construction, including clean up, is expected to last until the end of October.
Q. What are the benefits of this project?
A. OCWA is upsizing and replacing its existing 8-inch water main with a modern12 inch line to provide better flow to the area. By upgrading the existing aging infrastructure (which has experienced some flow restraints) with a larger main, OCWA can provide better, more reliable service for its customers in North Syracuse and the surrounding area.
Q. What can homeowners in the area expect while this project is occurring?
A. Hours of operation for the construction will be from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
During the construction of this project, some lawns and driveways in the road right-of-way will have to be dug up. Upon completion of the project, all disturbed lawns and driveways will be restored to their former condition. OCWA has taken preconstruction photos and video of the area to ensure their restoration will be completed properly. Property restoration will take place in October upon completion of the project.
During construction there may be interruption of customer water services due to unforeseen circumstances. OCWA will make every effort to limit the occurrence and length of these interruptions. Customers will notice a brief interruption in service on the day their water service is transferred to the newly installed water main. Affected residents will be given 24 hours’ notice before a scheduled shutdown.
Q. What do you expect to be the biggest challenge throughout this project?
A. OCWA expects traffic planning to be the biggest challenge due to Chestnut Street being very narrow. Additionally, other contractors such as National Grid may have their construction projects occurring at the same time. OCWA recommends drivers try to avoid the area and find alternative routes to save time.
Q. If homeowners have an issue or question, who should they contact?
A. Residents can contact Stephen Drake via email at sjdrake@ocwa.org
Q. How can residents get updates on the status of the project?
A. The best way to get information on the project would be to visit the OCWA website. The website will be updated monthly or as important changes occur. You can find information in the Recent News section on our homepage (ocwa.org), or for additional information you can visit the Projects/System Betterment Projects tab at .
Q. Is there anything else residents should to know about this project?
A. OCWA apologizes for any inconvenience this project may cause residents. We will have an inspector on-site at all times to monitor progress and address any issues which may arise. If additional information is needed you can also contact our office between the hours of 8:00 and 4:00 pm, Monday-Friday at (315) 455-7061 ext 3104.