Lockport, NY

Mayor Michelle Roman

City of Lockport water issues

When the 30-inch line on West Avenue broke at the end of June, it created water pressure issues throughout the city. Water lines were impacted in multiple areas. The city has an aging infrastructure in need of attention, and we have been working diligently to repair and/or replace whenever possible, despite the money, staffing, and equipment constraints. We have been working on getting grants, partnering on projects with the EPA and DEC, as well as doing studies and making plans, in order to be as proactive as possible.

Maintaining an old water system means dealing with issues on a daily basis. Our water distribution crew is fairly new—many workers retired prior to my term starting in 2019. New leadership has taken over and is working tirelessly to address various concerns.

We had three major sewer issues, beginning with the Vine and Market area, moving to Lincoln and Beattie, and Webb and Bacon. Vine and Market had a water leak repaired and we are waiting on other issues for the sewer. Lincoln and Beattie had an expanded repair, but that is now set to be closed up. Webb was a significant collapse that happened simultaneously with the Lincoln repair. Today, we experienced another water line break at Olcott and Mill Street. We apologize for not being able to get out notice to the area, but it required immediate attention. That repair should alleviate water pressure issues in the area.

Our crews are out every day working on the various issues with both water and sewer lines. In just the last few weeks, employees have dealt with multiple problems, both big and small. When they have the luxury of a planned repair, residents will be notified of the possible loss of pressure or water, in advance.

If you experience water issues, please contact the Water Department at 716.433.1645 (Water Filtration office). The department is manned 24 hours a day for water pressure issues. For Water Administration involving meters, hydrant permits, billing questions, etc., please use 716.439.6678. Use the police non-emergency number, 716.433.7700, to report anything that needs to be addressed by DPW. That number is also manned 24/7. Police will then relay it to the proper department for assessment so the issue can be addressed as soon as possible.