Early Tuesday Morning Harris received a phone call after a long time resident of State St., Brooklyn was notified that she had a broken fire sprinkler main feeding the sprinkler heads in her house. Her neighbor suggested calling Harris Water as they have been in the neighborhood for many years as well as having her sewer line replaced by Harris 2 years prior.
Digging for new water main
Harris Quickly evaluated the situation on Tuesday afternoon, confirmed that the sprinkler main was leaking and scheduled a start date for the following morning to begin working. The Harris office staff spent the remainder of the afternoon obtaining all required permits for the new sprinkler main installation including, DEP permits, NYC Parks Department and the DOT emergency permit to open the roadway, which would be applied for first thing the next morning. Harris also scheduled a DEP inspection which is required on all water lines greater than the size of 2”, obtaining the DEP inspection will allow the city to release a sign-off upon the jobs completion.
Harris began excavating at 6 AM the following morning when they came across the domestic water line which was made of lead. It was quickly suggested that the homeowner replace the domestic water line while replacing the fire sprinkler main due to the material and corroding condition of the pipe. The homeowner had also complained about the water pressure which would be resolved after the existing 3/4” lead water main was replaced with a new 1” copper water main.
Connecting new pipe
Harris also became aware that the existing tap connection for the fire sprinkler main was a 1 1/2″ tap which is 1/2″ smaller than required for a 3″ ductile iron pipe. Harris contacted the DEP tap division who were able to install the new tap connection within a two hour period of the initial phone call
The water main installation crew worked straight from 6 AM until 4 PM when the new 3” ductile iron sprinkler main and domestic water line was installed and inspected by the NYC DEP. After the inspection was completed, the installation crew began backfilling the holes, compacting the dirt and cleaning the street before the roadway was paved the very next day.
Harris Water Main & Sewer Contractors was able to respond to a Brooklyn resident in an emergency situation. After servicing the 5 boroughs for over 95 years, Harris Water is able to respond to any type of sewer or water main emergency that may arise. Contact our office 24/7 with any questions regarding your water main or sewer – 718-495-3600
Brooklyn Heights- A Brief History
Brooklyn Heights is an upper middle class residential neighborhood within the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Originally referred to as ‘Brooklyn Village’, it has been a prominent area of Brooklyn since 1834. As of 2000, Brooklyn Heights sustained a population of 22,594 people. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 2.The neighborhood is served by the NYPD’s 84th Precinct. Brooklyn Heights occupies a bluff that rises sharply from the river’s edge and gradually recedes on the landward side. Before the Dutch settled on Long Island in the middle of the seventeenth century, this promontory was called Ihpetonga (“the high sandy bank”) by the native Lenape American Indians.
The area was heavily fortified prior to the largest battle of the American Revolutionary War – The Battle of Long Island (also known as The Battle of Brooklyn). After British troops landed on Long Island and advanced towards Continental Army lines, General George Washington withdrew his troops here after heavy losses, but was able to make a skillful retreat across the East River to Manhattan without the loss of any troops or his remaining supplies.
This part of the Town of Brooklyn, south of the long-settled old Village of Brooklyn, became New York’s first commuter town in the early 19th century when a new steam ferry service provided reliable service to Wall Street.
