Hydrant, waterline projects to begin soon in Leetonia

LEETONIA -- Replacement of fire hydrants on the north side of town and a waterline on the south side will begin in the next few weeks, Village Administrator Gary Phillips said.
Phillips plans for the village council to award contracts for the projects at the Nov. 20 council meeting. Village crews will replace about 20 aging fire hydrants and connect them to new waterlines on the north side.
The new waterline from Washington and Main streets south to St. Peter Street will be a 12-inch line, replacing a 6-inch line.
Phillips said though the waterline replacement from Main Street to St. Peter Street is only a few blocks, the work will be difficult because the waterline must be installed under a creek, the state Route 344 bridge and the Norfolk and Southern railroad tracks.
Placing the waterline under the railroad tracks requires boring under the tracks and placing the waterline inside a larger pipe. Placing the waterline inside another pipe will extend the life of the waterline by protecting it from the vibration of the passing trains, Phillips said. He said village crews will work closely with railroad officials because the railroad can't be closed during the construction.