Middletown to Launch $5 Million Upgrades on Century-Old Reservoir Dams

Woodward dam at the Shawangunk reservoir in Middletown, N.Y., on Feb. 10, 2023. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times)

The City of Middletown, New York, is to begin construction on several century-old dams to bring them up to new state standards, according to the city’s public works commissioner Jacob Tawil. 

The upgrades on three Shawangunk reservoir dams, to be performed by a joint venture between Servidone and Anthony Construction, cost around $3.8 million; a separate project on the Kinch reservoir dam, awarded to Colonnelli Brothers, costs another $1.5 million. 

These improvements will solidify the city’s dam system for another century, Tawil said. 

Main upgrades include replacing a concrete spillway, raising the core walls to the height of the dam, flattening the downstream slopes, replacing raw water supply valves, and installing new raw water metering vaults. 

Two valves of the Woodward dam at the Shawangunk reservoir in N.Y., on Feb. 10, 2023. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times)

Most improvements are mandatory under the new design standards set forth by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. 

Construction will begin in spring and likely be complete by the end of summer, Tawil said. 

All costs are to be funded by city money, largely through municipal bonds. 

Tawil said there are not many state or federal grants for the “out of sight, out of mind” dam projects, adding that every city penny invested in the water system is a penny well spent. 

In three or four years, the city might upgrade the Highland dams, he added. 

A view of Highland Lake, one of three major water reservoirs in Middletown, N.Y., on September 20, 2022. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times)

Its 1,500-acre watershed spans across two neighboring towns, Mount Hope and Wallkill, and is mostly owned by the city. 

Aside from providing drinking water, the city’s water system also serves regional developments such as Amy’s Kitchen; the city is also in talks to provide water to Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center. 

Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center in New Hampton, N.Y., on Feb. 8, 2023. (Cara Ding/The Epoch Times)

On top of maintaining its current water system, the city is also looking to add additional water sources to accommodate future population growth, Tawil said. 

With a population of just over 30,000, Middletown is the fastest-growing city in the county based on U.S. census reports. 

Purchasing Watershed Properties 

Another ongoing water system investment is the purchasing of properties around the city’s watershed to protect the cleanliness and safety of the raw water, Tawil said. 

The acquisitions are mainly funded by two grants from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, totaling around $6 million. 

So far, the city has spent about $3 million; two notable properties acquired are a horse farm whose manure had been an issue of pollution for the watershed and a piece of property upon which a potential developer had wanted to build a residential community.