Extensive Work Under Hempstead County Jail Almost Finished

Hempstead County Sheriff James Singleton says the extensive work recently done under the Hempstead County Jail is almost finished.  Apparently, pipes under the jail had disintegrated and filled some areas under the jail with as much as 8 feet of liquid sewage.  Also, a concrete beam running the length of the facility had cracked causing concern about the safety of the structure.  Sheriff Singleton said they really became aware they had a problem this summer when staff began to smell sewage in the building.  After local plumbers ran cameras into the pipes, it became apparent the county had a serious problem.  Most of the prisoners were moved out in early September and have primarily been held in jails in adjacent counties.  This has cost the county thousands of dollars each month.  Prisoners began moving back recently and as of Monday (12-4) there were 30 inmates and another 6 were expected back that day.

Sheriff Singleton noted repairs included putting foam down in piers to support the concrete beam, pumping out the raw sewage under the building, pouring new concrete, and installing new pipes.  The floor under the control center had to be redone as well as the floor under the detox center and areas around the campus. All that is lacking is putting some supporting foam into holes drilled into the floor of the facility.

Sheriff Singleton said he appreciates the patience of the public while the work has been underway.  He notes this repair work could give the jail up to 10 more years of usable life but the county will have to be thinking about building a new facility sometime in the future.