Sewer separation: South and Bissell area

Street cleanup at South Avenue and Bissell Street (Sep ’06)

Quick reference
— Project completion
— Where has the work taken place?
— What has been done?

Onondaga County is continuing its work to improve water quality. An important part of that work is to eliminate combined sewers in specific parts of the City of Syracuse.

Combined sewers carry both the sanitary sewage from homes and businesses and the runoff from the street. When rain or snowmelt is heavy, the sewers can overflow and empty into Onondaga Creek. In that way, combined sewers degrade water quality.

By separating sewers, the storm water is channeled through separate lines and does not mix with sanitary sewage. New lines are built for the sanitary sewage. Then, the stormwater alone is discharged to Onondaga Creek, and sanitary sewage is sent to the Metropolitan Syracuse Wastewater Treatment Plant.

C.O. Falter was awarded the general construction contract for this $1.9 million sewer separation project. The notice to proceed was issued May 9, 2006.

Preparation for street and sidewalk restoration on West Bissell Street (Sep ’06)

Preparation for street and sidewalk restoration on West Bissell Street (Sep ’06)

Project completion

Installation of the all new mainline sewers and laterals was finished in November 2006. Street and sidewalk restoration was also completed, and the punch-list and close-out work is finished.

Where has the work taken place?

New sanitary sewers were installed in the following streets:

West Bissell Street between Onondaga Avenue and South Avenue
East Bissell Street from South Avenue to 140 E. Bissell Street
South Avenue from Onondaga Avenue to Centennial Drive
South Avenue from Onondaga Creek to East Kennedy Street.

This area is sometimes referred to as CSO basins 047 and 048.

What has been done?

Along with the new sewers, Onondaga County has:

Replaced sewer pipes from the sewer in the street to the curb line
Made spot repairs to the existing sewer pipe, as needed
Replaced active lead or galvanized iron water lines from the water main to the curb stop, if encountered.*
Restored areas disturbed by construction activity.

National Grid replaced a gas line on West Bissell Street before the new sewers were installed.
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*The property owner is responsible to make needed repairs on the water service from the curb stop to the house. Call the City Water Bureau at 473-2609 for information.