Project to Disrupt Owego’s Business District

Work to replace a 125-year-old water main will create some challenges to shoppers and business operators in the village of Owego.

The big infrastructure project on Lake Street is scheduled to start on Monday.

Jeff VanWagenen, the local manager for water supplier SUEZ, said the company plans to replace 700 feet of water main which was installed in 1892.

VanWagenen said the six-inch diameter line runs the entire length of Lake Street. In addition to the main, water service lines that feed each building and water shutoff valves in sidewalks also will be replaced.

The new main will be installed on the west side of Lake Street. VanWagenen said the existing main is on the east side of the street. He said water will be maintained to all businesses while the project is underway.

Equipment and materials are to be brought to the project site on Monday. At that point, no parking will be permitted on Lake Street.

The street is to be closed to traffic from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. The street will be open to through traffic at other times.

The water main work is expected to be completed by July 14. After that, NYSEG will start its own project to install a new eight-inch natural gas line.

When the gas line job has been finished, Lake Street will be milled and repaved. The entire project is expected to take about five months to complete.

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