HARTWICK - Work is set to begin next week on a $2.5 million water improvement project for the hamlet of Hartwick.

Town officials hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Monday afternoon for the project which will overhaul the more than 100-year-old water system.

The water district will have all corroded mains and pipes replaced, water meters installed for each unit, a new concrete reservoir built, sidewalk replacement and a new second well dug to serve as a backup to the main well. Work is expected to be completed this year with some landscaping left to be finished next spring.

Town supervisor Mary Balcom said it has been a long process and that Monday was an "extremely important day for Hartwick."

Balcom said that the current system has some issues, including residues, which will be corrected by the improvements planned as part of the project. Problems with the system's unbalanced water pressure and poor taste would be significantly reduced throughout the district following the project's completion.

The supervisor said she has seen firsthand what is happening with the aging water mains. The pipes, she said, are filling up and it is causing the pressure to drop.

"It's not just the age of the mains. It's what's happening internally," she said.

Balcom said that in recent years, the board was faced with having to decide if it would spend the money to make the improvements or end up spending money to make emergency repairs to the deteriorating system.

The project will be funded by a combination of grants and loans from USDA Rural Development. On Monday, the USDA announced an additional $910,000 in funding the town will receive to help with cost overruns. In total, the town will receive $688,500 in grants and another $1,816,000 in loans.

USDA Rural Development acting state director Scott Collins said they were fortunate to be able to provide the additional funding because they were dealing with state-wide demand that far outstripped supply.

"We've been at it a long time and we're happy to nail it down and get started," Collins said.

Currently, the water district serves 250 units in the hamlet of Hartwick. Users pay a flat fee of $150 for unlimited water usage.

The cost of the project will drive the cost of water upward. Rates will more than triple, with an approximated cost of $493 per year, per unit for each active unit.

And for the first time, water usage will be metered. According to project engineer Wayne Bunn, the meters will give residents some control over their total bill. He said this also provides an incentive for people to fix leaks and reduce their water consumption.