Onondaga County faces yet another court order and fines for a leak in its aging sewage system. It’s the second time in about seven months that the state and county have negotiated a settlement while the county takes steps to correct the problem. Last summer, raw sewage began leaking from a manhole into the parking lot of a business in Solvay.
County Water Environment Protection Commissioner Shannon Harty says the county is working on a temporary fix. “The intermediate solution...we need to bolt down the manhole covers. When we do that, it's going to pressurize the system. So, we now then need to come up with a solution to pump those customers into the sanitary sewer,” she told lawmakers.
That involves designing pump stations for industrial properties near Willis and Milton Avenues. Harty estimates the work will take about a year.
In the meantime, the county has installed level sensors to track when overflows happen. “We've got level sensors out there. So, we know instantly when it's going on... we're collecting a lot of data... but this will continue until those manholes are bolted,” Harty said.
While the state originally imposed a $100,000 fine, it has agreed to accept a $10,000 payment for now. Lawmakers are expected to approve the consent order at Tuesday’s meeting.
Last fall, the county was penalized for a separate leak after a 42-inch sewer line ruptured twice and discharged into Onondaga Lake. That line is currently being replaced, but the project is expected to take several years.
