Foundation is set and ready for steel

We have been keeping the folks at Otsego Ready Mix pretty busy, lately. Just look at our before and after photos from just a few days ago.

We’re finishing up the foundation. We’ve poured concrete and removed most of the forms, and backfilled the space to make ready for the arrival of structural steel in a few days.

And we’re getting ready to install the water and sewer lines -- one of the most environmentally friendly things we can do. In fact, they’re one of history’s first efforts to protect public health and the environment. They’re so common now that we don’t really think of them as being environmentally friendly. But they are.

That’s part of the reason that we’re installing a holding retention system and low-flow water fixtures. By using untreated water for non-potable uses – watering the lawn, flushing the toilets and the like – we save potable water for our neighbors. And keep in mind that as much as half of all potable water uses can be replaced with similar systems.

And by installing low-flow systems for our other needs, we reduce water consumption. Low-flow faucets cut consumption up to 40 percent from their regular counterparts – down to 2 ½ gallons a minute instead of 4 gallons a minute.

Rainwater Harvesting System installation underway

The Rainwater Harvesting System installation is underway, once the roof is finished this Fall, the take off points, gutters and downspouts will be put in place and rainwater will then be filtered before reaching the tanks for detention. Once installation is completed, the Rainwater Harvesting System will be fully operational and ready for the rain to fall.

Our water reclamation system means some pretty good things for the environment. Did you know that 50% or more of all potable (human consumption) water is used for non-potable purposes such as irrigation, car washing and toilet flushing? And, the average US household consumes about 70,000 G/year of water?

Roth Global Plastics, Inc. (Syracuse), supplier of three, 1,500 gallons tanks knows that rainwater harvesting plays an important role in benefitting the environment through reclamation. Rain water harvesting also reduces the consumption of high-quality water from the municipal water system, where reclamated water could be used for non-potable, janitorial purposes. Benefits also translate at the municipal level, stormwater planning with an RHS component will increase cost savings and reduce storm drain runoff in your own backyard. 

A. Treffeisen & Son, LLC (Oneonta) is currently installing the 1500 gallon tanks. When these tanks become operational they will be collecting rainwater runoff from a 25,200 sq. ft. rooftop. 

June would have been a great month to collect these rainwater benefits! 

Backfilling should be completed this week.

Next up for us: Steel. We’re expecting more than 60 tons of it to begin to arrive on site by the end of the month.