Asbestos abatement is needed at the Outwater Park Water Tower Pump House. The contractor hired to replace the roof of the brick building informed the city that it found traces of asbestos earlier this summer as it started its work.
“It’s not uncommon in older structures,” Michael Marino, engineering consultant with Nussbaumer & Clarke for the city, said. “It was used in caulk and fire protection. In those days, it was pretty much used for everything.”
Currently, the water tower is not in operation. Third Ward Alderman Mark Devine said that once it is, the water pressure in his ward will be increased.
The added cost for the asbestos abatement comes to $10,000 more than the original bid of $18,981 in June of 2024 by Progressive Roofing of Buffalo. The contractor is expected to sub-contract the abatement out to an asbestos abater and the work will be done before the winter, according to Marino.
Stohl Environmental inspected the building on Aug. 27 and found asbestos within layers of roofing, as well as in the tar and flashing.
“It just needs the abatement for asbestos done before we can get it working,” he explained.
The water tower is also referred to as a standpipe because its height of 106 feet is larger than its 71-foot diameter. The term, water reservoir, refers to water infrastructure in which the diameter is larger than its height.
The standpipe holds 3.3 million gallons of water and would give the city between 12 and 15 hours of running water if an emergency came up.