Facilities staff warn of corroded heating pipes at Lincoln Middle School; full replacement could take 6–18 months

Facilities Director Tamara Sweeney told the committee Feb. 23 that Lincoln Middle School—built in 1897 and currently enrolling about 360 students—has experienced repeated heating‑pipe failures that culminated in a major leak in April 2025. A targeted pipe inspection and ultrasonic thickness testing documented corrosion and thinning at many locations, and experts sent samples for metallurgical analysis.

"Ultrasonic testing found internal corrosion thinning with many locations showing moderate to severe losses," Sweeney said. She said the district has identified five facility risks at Lincoln, including deteriorated heating piping, outdated fire‑safety systems and accessibility needs, and that many projects would require phased work or building closure during construction.

Three remediation options are under study: a direct 1:1 piping replacement, piping replacement paired with a boiler replacement or conversion from steam to a hot‑water system, and a fossil‑free option. Harriman is conducting a study that will include site visits, cost estimates, energy modeling and life‑cycle analysis; the team expects that report by April.

Timing and stopgaps: Scott Watson and other facilities staff said design alone is likely to require six to eight months because of the complexity of working in an older building, and construction could take another six to 12 months. Watson said creating isolated zones or breakers to limit system failures is technically feasible but extensive and potentially expensive, and cautioned that investing in a stopgap could duplicate future costs if a full replacement follows.

Safety implications: Sweeney and Watson warned that corroded steam piping could rupture and release very hot water or steam, posing safety hazards and uneven heating across the building. "When I saw the pipe in April, that's when we began to get other mechanical engineers and specialists involved," Watson said, noting that laboratory analysis showed alarming corrosion.

Board follow‑up and risk monitoring: Board members pressed staff on how the district would detect worsening conditions; staff said repeated or larger leaks would be the main indicators and that the district has already logged more than a dozen leaks over two heating seasons. Because the HVAC system is used only during the heating season, staff said risk is seasonal but immediate while systems are active.

Next steps: the facilities team will present the Harriman study (expected by April) and the board will consider capital funding options. Officials cautioned that the $5.9 million CIP the board already approved to send to city council would affect timelines in subsequent fiscal years and that any immediate remediation will need to weigh stopgap cost against a definitive long‑term solution.