Contractor fed up with old water pipes

On High Street in Lockport Paul Marinaccio's crew is fixing storm drains.

“We build highways. We do everything,” said Marinaccio.

While working on the storm drains he needed to cut a portion of the street's water lines. What he found disgusted him.

“When I see this stuff, I'm really scared. I hope that I don't get some sort of disease,” said Marinaccio. “The City of Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Orchard Park, they all have the same problem.”

Marinaccio isn’t sure what this rusty substance is that’s forming on the pipes, but he can’t imagine it’s good.

The Mayor of Lockport says there isn't anything to worry about. The city engineers say the buildup is called tuberculation. It occurs when the chlorine in the water interacts with the iron pipes. The City of Lockport tests their water in 40 locations a month, more than twice the amount they are legally required to.

Still, they recognize that these pipes are old, upwards of 100 years old and need to be replaced.
The city is about to begin a $6-million project to replace the pipe that brings the city water from the Niagara River.

City of Lockport 2017 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 

But Marinaccio says more should be done, in Lockport, Buffalo, everywhere. He wants the state and federal government to step in.

“Give these municipalities some money so they can fix these water lines,” said Marinaccio.

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