Cost increases to fix Niles broken fire hydrants


By Jordan Cohen

news@vindy.com

NILES

City council, financially strapped due to state-declared fiscal emergency for the last 18 months, learned it will cost substantially more to replace 30 broken fire hydrants.

The 30 are among 90 hydrants that require either repair or replacement. “The price has gone up to $2,500 [each] to replace the broken ones,” said James DePasquale, service director.

Replacement of the 30 would cost the city $135,000 and does not include either labor costs or the funds the city will have to spend to repair the remaining 60.

Council does not have the money to pay for either the hydrants or the labor to replace and repair them. “It is not appropriated right now,” said city Auditor Giovanne Merlo.

DePasquale, who discussed the dilemma during a meeting with council’s utilities committee Tuesday, said the increased costs were well above his earlier estimated range of $1,800 to $2,000 per hydrant.

“We’re going to try to get these costs down by going through state purchasing, but if we can’t, it is what it is and we’re stuck with it,” he said after the meeting.

The service director said he could not estimate the project’s total cost because no one knows the extent of work that may be necessary on those hydrants on the repair list.

“We have no idea what we will have to spend until we get into them and take them apart,” DePasquale said. “If any of those need to be replaced, there’s a good chance the numbers will go up.”

The city’s state-appointed financial supervisors would have to determine where and if funding is available. Spending is also reviewed by the seven-member Financial Planning and Supervision Commission, which meets later this month.

DePasquale said the work would be done in three stages in an 18-month period starting with those hydrants already determined to need only minor repairs.

The second stage would be the major repairs in which each hydrant would be taken apart to determine the severity of the breaks. Replacement of the 30 hydrants would be the final stage of the project, all of which would be performed by city employees.

Mayor Thomas Scarnecchia said he still is hopeful the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District, the water provider for Niles and Youngstown, will give both cities rebates that would go to the water departments. In Niles’ case, the mayor is hoping for a rebate of $1 million he thinks could help fund the hydrants repair or replacement.

The MVSD, however, has said any rebate will be contingent on the costs of repairs to the Meander Dam and whether those repairs require immediate attention. That determination will be made in July after completion of an engineering study.

Councilman Michael Lastic, D-at large, just shook his head as the mayor spoke. “We aren’t getting that rebate,” he said.

By using this site, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use.

» Accept
» Learn More