North Castle Considers $9.6 Million Water Project

ARMONK, N.Y. – North Castle continues to weigh the option of a multimillion-dollar water main project that could send a hefty bill to nearly 400 homes in Armonk. Sal Misiti, assistant superintendent of the North Castle Sewer & Water Department, gave a comprehensive report on the proposed water main project to the Town Board at its regular meeting Wednesday in Armonk.

Town Supervisor Howard Arden said the decision on the project will be determined by the residents affected.

“Although we as the Town Board are the people who will vote on the final say for this project, we’re not going to make that decision without the people who are paying the bill for it,” Arden said.

The project, which totals around $9.6 million, will replace the water main system for Water District No. 2, in the Windmill Farm section of Armonk. Misiti said the current system was installed in the 1950s and needs to be replaced because the construction material has reached the end of its design life. The cost to build a new system would be about $1,600 a year per house over the next 25 years for the 379 homes in the district.

If the project is approved in the near future, Misiti said, a goal date to start construction is May 2013, and the project could take two years to complete.

Armonk resident Michael Ferari had multiple concerns about the project.

“We’re going to go through with this project and keep tearing up roads that we just went over and repaved,” Ferari said. “And the cost of removing rock is very expensive, and we know that the rock is down there.”

Of the $9.6 million, about $1.6 million is for rock removal and a contingency plan if the costs are exceeded. Misiti said that is reasonable.

“We haven’t gotten into the design yet, but these numbers are very conservative,” Misiti said.

A public hearing on the project remains open and will continue at the next scheduled Town Board meeting on Sept. 12, where members of the public are encouraged to express their opinions and ask questions.

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