Controlling “floatable debris”

WEP is working to prevent this type of debris from reaching streams and Onondaga Lake.

Quick reference
— The FCFs
— Public education program

Between June 2000 and October 2002,
WEP intercepted over 125,000 tons
of debris from the
Burnet and Butternut trunk sewers alone.
In volume, that is 80 cubic yards.

Both sanitary sewage and stormwater flow in the same sewer lines in much of Syracuse. Therefore, both sanitary material and street litter and debris end up in the same pipes.

When the floatables reach the Metropolitan Syracuse Wastewater Treatment Plant, they are removed and disposed of properly. During storms, however, floatables are discharged at CSOs, polluting the streams and eventually reaching Onondaga Lake.

Debris is also blown into streams and the lake by the wind, carried in through storm sewers, and—surprisingly—some individuals still throw refuse directly into our creeks and the Lake.

The FCFs

As part of the Amended Consent Judgment, the County has constructed five “floatable control facilities” (FCFs) to capture floatable debris and to keep it from discharging into Onondaga Creek, Harbor Brook, and Ley Creek.

The FCFs are located at:

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Examples of the FCFs

Major facilities have been built and new practices put into effect recently in Onondaga County for removing debris. These are some of the new facilities that are serving our community and keeping it cleaner.

For the large Burnet and Butternut trunk sewers, new superstructures — support netting operations that have kept tons of debris from reaching the lake.

A floating net-bag collection system—consisting of three net bags—at the end of Harbor Brook near Onondaga Lake collect and remove ordinary trash and floating items before they reach the Lake.

In the Inner Harbor, a skimmer vessel collects and removes floatables during the summer and fall. This photo shows that the County's contractor, who owns and operates the boat, succeeded in improving the look of the harbor by cleaning these docking bays.

Public education program

In addition to the FCFs, the County, with the support of the Onondaga Lake Partnership, has embarked on a public education campaign to inform residents about how they can help to keep debris from reaching streams and Onondaga Lake. This campaign is targeting everything from uncovered trash cans to the leaves that fall in autumn.
See how you can do your part.