Separating sewers
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Trenching and replacing sewers on Parkside Avenue (2005)
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Many areas of Syracuse have sewers that carry both
sanitary sewage—from homes and businesses—and also
stormwater from the streets. During times of heavy
rain or melting snow, the amount of water is far
greater than the capacity of the sewers. The extra
untreated water overflows into Onondaga Creek and eventually
gets to Onondaga Lake.
An effective but expensive way to abate combined sewer
overflows is to put the wastewater in new sewer lines
and limit the old sewer lines to carrying stormwater.
Onondaga County is actively pursuing this approach for
thirteen areas in Syracuse.
 Current separation project: Parkway Drive and Rockland Avenue area.
About 50 years ago, Syracuse had ninety points where
sewage could overflow and reach Onondaga Creek, Harbor
Brook, or Ley Creek. At that time, the City of
Syracuse owned and maintained the sewerage system. The
City did not eliminate any of the overflows of the
combined sewers.
Onondaga County began to take ownership of the combined
trunk sewers and two interceptor (large) sewer lines
in the 1960s and ’70s. It immediately began making
improvements. In less than 30 years, it closed
permanently twenty-four overflow points.
Today
we have just 49 overflow
points, and that number will diminish further as
additional projects are completed.
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Parkside Avenue after sewer separation: new paving, newly set curbs, replanted boulevard strips
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Sewers in West St. near West Genesee St. have already
successfully been separated and the surrounding area
has been restored—even improved in appearance. Most
important for water quality, three combined sewer
overflows to Onondaga Creek were eliminated.
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In concert with the City's refurbishing of Clinton
Square downtown, WEP separated one of two
previously combined lines (CSO 024). The pipe was
relined and now transports wastewater only. The new
sewer main is used for stormwater only. This project
eliminated one overflow point.
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A $2.1 million construction contract was awarded for
the West Brighton Sewer Separation
Project at the end of 2002. This project was
completed in 2003 and eliminated two CSOs.
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In 2005, sewers were separated in the the Taylor-Tallman and Onondaga Avenue
CSO basins (038/040 and 046A/046B). These projects
installed new sewers and converted existing combined
sewers to carry stormwater only, thus eliminating the
release of combined sewage and stormwater from four
overflow points along Onondaga Creek. The cost of the
project was estimated at $4.9 million.
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In November 2006, Onondaga County completed sewer separation
at South Avenue and Bissell
Street. This effort closed two overflow points.
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In the spring of 2007, sewer separation efforts began
in the Parkside
Drive-Rockland Avenue area. This project is should
be completed in the fall of 2008. It will eliminate
one overflow point.
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Onondaga County is working with the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers to develop preliminary sewer separation
construction documents for the remaining CSO basins.
These projects will be advanced as federal grant
funding becomes available. It is projected that all
will be completed by 2012.
Sewers separation is proceeding in the following areas:
View of map of basins 022, 024, 037, 038, 040
Basins 045, 046A, 046B, 048, 050, 051, 053, 054
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W. Water St, north
Susan Miller, Project Deputy Director
Onondaga County Dept of Water Environment Protection