North Hempstead Leases Snow-Melting Machine

NORTH HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- The town of North Hempstead has a new way to fight the snow.

The town has leased a snow melter to help clear snow from commuter parking lots and areas where the snow is blocking viability on roadways.

The machine works a bit like a hot tub, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported. When the snow is dumped into the back of the large, yellow machine, hot water inside melts the snow. The machine is capable of melting 100 tons of snow per hour.

Listen to North Hempstead Leases Snow-Melting Machine

"All the debris from the snow goes to the bottom of the machine," Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth explained. "The water comes out, goes into the drainage system. And so now, as the snow is melting, instead of all the wax and the gravel and the sand and the twigs going into our drainage system, (it) goes to the bottom of the truck."

The town is paying $60,000 to lease the machine, which is the size of a large dump truck, for two months.