NORWICH – Along with improving the Town of Norwich’s look and economic outlook, Lowe’s Home Improvement Center, the newest big business to build here, is also lending a helping hand to other businesses and residences in the area.

Lowe’s decided five months ago to pay for the replacement of two out of the three water pumps to the town’s water substation located south of Norwich on Rt. 12. The substation as it stands now would be inadequate due to an increase in the amount of usage that will be required. The southern end of town, now home to Wal-Mart, Lowe’s, Taco Bell/KFC and numerous residences, needs to have bigger pumps to sufficiently supply water. With the additional pumps, the water supply or volume will increase significantly.

The substation now houses three pumps; two of them pump 70 gallons per minute (gpm) and the other pumps 800 gpm. The two smaller pumps will be replaced with two much larger pumps rating 250 gpms and one 2,000 gpm. The largest pump will act as the fire pump.