The Port Washington Water Pollution Control District, also known as the sewer district, is set to begin a major district improvement project to upgrade its aging infrastructure, which the Town of North Hempstead approved to fund with a $59 million bond.

District Business Manager Giovanna DiFiore said the $59 million bond will fund multiple projects within the district, including various improvements and upgrades to the district’s wastewater treatment plant and the collections system, which encompasses lining about 8,300 linear feet of sewer mains and upgrades of existing pump stations.

“It’s really a lot,” DiFiore said. “It’s basically covering all of our pump stations, including a lining project,”

The Town of North Hempstead unanimously approved the capital improvements facility bond Tuesday night, which is not to exceed $59 million.

Prior to receiving approval for the bond, the district conducted engineering studies to determine what improvements needed to be made within the district.

The bond will also go toward funding any necessary furnishing and equipment needed for the upgrades as well as engineering costs, DiFiore said. She added that the project does not encompass luxury items or anything that can be delayed for implementation at a later date.

“We have issues with every pump station,” DiFiore said. “We just can’t wait any longer, unfortunately.”

DiFiore said the improvement project is necessary due to the aging infrastructure of the water pollution control district, with some pump stations in use for about 80 years.

“And we’ve come to a point now that just main repairs and maintenance are not cutting it,” DiFiore said. “And we’ve got to the point where we do have to do the work.”

DiFiore said the district has conducted major projects in the past to maintain the infrastructure, but that it has reached a point where regular maintenance is not enough to keep the aging infrastructure in adequate working condition for the future.

“But the reality of the matter is infrastructure and time is not our friend,” DiFiore said.

DiFiore said that there is no scheduled start date for the project to begin but there will be no interruption in service for district residents when it does begin.

“People flush their toilets and we have to treat it,” DiFiore said. “There’s no change.”