Time frame is moving up to ‘accelerate infrastructure improvements,’ water company says
SCRANTON, Pa. — Pennsylvania American Water plans to replace one mile of aging water main next spring in downtown Scranton.
Originally planned for 2028, the water utility said they were moving up the time frame to “accelerate infrastructure improvements” to modernize the city’s water system.
The planned replacement comes after two water main breaks over 10 days plagued hundreds of downtown residents and businesses earlier this summer. The water utility also said they will award Scranton Tomorrow, an economic development non-profit, a $50,000 American Water Charitable Foundation grant.
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The water utility maintains 300 miles of of water main in Scranton, roughly a sixth of which was installed in the 19th-century. The company said it replaces 5-to-10 miles of aging pipe annually.
The city’s aging water infrastructure came into clear view in July when two large water mains broke and left downtown denizens with spotty water service for days.
“We need help from the corporate leadership of PWC to understand that Scranton cannot sustain water mains that are 140 years old,” Mayor Paige Cognetti said at the time.
The project will center on replacing the existing 24-inch and 6-inch water mains with new 16-inch water mains along North Washington Avenue between Lackawanna Avenue and Gibson Street and on Mulberry Street between North Washington Avenue and Madison Avenue.
Should something happen, they said the new infrastructure should allow crews to isolate sections for maintenance and repair without impacting a larger zone.
The project is currently in the design and engineering phase. They said they were working closely with the city engineering consultant to align the project with planned downtown streetscape improvements.