This week in Clinton Hill Brooklyn we were hired to replace a lead water main with new copper pipe. When applying for the permit, DEP notified us that the existing connection on the city main is too small. We were now required to apply for a new tap permit and replace the exiting tap with a larger size tap. The buildings plumbing is not only up to code, they will also experience an increase in water pressure.
The downside for our customer is that a standard one day water main installation will now take two days. This means we are required to mobilize the entire crew, flagmen, service truck, backhoe and equipment for a second day. This also means that we must supply steel plates to cover the roadway excavations while the crew is off site.
First the crew begins by excavating over the city main and exposing the city tap connection. It is most important that we are prepared for the city when they arrive for the new tap the next morning. Once the city main is exposed, the crew will begin making two or three more holes. Typically we would make tunnels from one hole to the next however, we encountered a large amount of utilities below ground. We were now required to trench most of the roadway in order to install the new copper water line.
Due to the underground conditions, the crew worked until almost midnight on the first day. It was extremely important that were were ready for the new tap and the city inspection later that afternoon. The roadway conditions also delayed the entire project by another day, resulting in a third day for DEP inspections.
The crew was successful in installing the new pipe and obtaining the final inspection.
The final phase of the job was to pave the roadway and cement the sidewalk after all excavations were back-filled.
