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The
SSO Abatement Project
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This
is a multi-year infrastructure evaluation and improvement
project being undertaken by the Oneida County Sewer District
(OCSD). The
project results from the settlement of an enforcement action
brought about by a New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Consent Order requiring
that the County’s sewer system be brought into compliance
with current state regulations.
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Sauquoit Creek Pumping Station
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The
Consent Order pertains specifically to wet weather discharges into
the Mohawk River from the Sauquoit Creek Pumping Station service
area and includes a schedule of project tasks and deadlines for
completion.
The
situation involves an infusion of storm and groundwater into the
sanitary sewer system, which results in the sewer system
overflowing beyond its capacity during periods of heavy rainfall
and winter snowmelts.
In
addition to conducting comprehensive engineering studies to
determine the extent and nature of the repairs, the ultimate goal
of this project is the removal of storm and groundwater sources
from the sanitary sewer system.
Examples of these sources include failing municipal sewers,
leaking private sewer laterals, roof gutters, foundation drains
and sump pumps.
By
removing stormwater from the sanitary sewer system, capacity in
the system will be freed up to accommodate future development,
while minimizing the amount of stormwater treated at the Oneida
County Water Pollution Control Plant, thus adding capacity to this
facility as well.
The
problem of wet weather discharges from municipal sewers is
national in scope. Communities
across the entire United States with aging infrastructures, like
communities in Oneida County, are experiencing similar problems.
The
project consulting team includes specialized sanitary engineers,
legal and fiscal advisors, and public information specialists.
The team meets regularly with the District’s recently
revived Advisory Board and a newly-created Steering Committee,
along with elected officials from the District’s member
municipalities, members of the community and special
interest/citizen groups, to gather and share information, make
recommendations, and provide progress and status reports over the
duration of the project.
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