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Hawthorne council approves $400,000 emergency repair after 60% flow drop on Gothel Hill Road main
Summary
The council voted to approve a $400,000 emergency appropriation and contract to replace a 1,000-foot section of a century-old, 6-inch cast-iron water main on Gothel Hill Road after officials reported a roughly 60% drop in hydrant flow that could affect firefighting service to the Christian Healthcare Center and about three dozen homes.
Hawthorne Borough Council voted Aug. 20 to authorize an emergency appropriation and contract to replace a roughly 1,000-foot section of 6-inch cast-iron water main on Gothel Hill Road after administrators said flow between two hydrants had dropped about 60%.
Administrator Eric Mallon described the stretch as a 100-year-old, tuberculated pipe and said the reduced flow could "adversely affect firefighting efforts" at the Christian Healthcare Center and nearby residences. "The $400,000 appropriation tonight should cover the emergency contract plus engineering costs and potential minor change orders," Mallon said, adding that the problem could extend beyond the known thousand-foot section and require additional funding.
The emergency measure (consent item R148-25) and a related emergency contract were moved and adopted as part of the council's consent resolutions. The president called the roll and announced the motion carries.
Mallon told the council that modern mains typically are 8 inches or larger and constructed of ductile iron with interior coatings to resist mineral deposits, and that the borough will consider a water-utility bond ordinance later to provide long-term funding if the replacement cost exceeds the emergency appropriation. "Once we have a final cost on this project, I will be recommending a water utility bond ordinance to provide permanent funding for the project in lieu of the emergency appropriation," he said.
Council members who spoke during the discussion framed the work as a necessary safety measure. One councilor recalled recent, high-profile municipal water breaks in nearby communities and said the borough should avoid similar outages. The council did not vote to set a specific additional funding amount; Mallon said the final extent of the defect will determine whether supplemental appropriations or capital planning is required.
The council recorded the administrative agenda and passed consent resolutions R145-25 through R149-25 in the same vote; R148-25 specifically authorizes the emergency contract for the Gothel Hill Road water-main replacement. The resolution text and final contractor cost were not read into the public record during the meeting; Mallon said he will report back when final costs are known.
Next steps: the borough expects the contractor to proceed under the emergency contract. Mallon indicated the borough has notified local fire departments to plan for contingencies while repairs proceed.
