It Was The Last Water Main Standing: Downtown Makeover Hits Milestone

Here's an important event in the ongoing Main Street Makeover: the end of a century-old water main era.

At 5:04 a.m. Thursday, the final piece of new water main went online in downtown Rochester. The water main replacement was one major part of the ongoing Main Street Makeover in downtown Rochester.

That final water main replacement marked the official ending of the old water main line in the city. 

The original water main, between University and Second streets, was installed in 1895; the extensions north of University and south of Second were newer. 

"The City got its full 117 years of service life out of the original cast iron water main," said Rochester City Manager Jaymes Vettraino, who added that the city "looks forward to getting even more years from the new ductile iron water main."