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Pumps and discharge lines for the biological aerated filters (ammonia removal), Jan 15, 2003
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Monthly report—January 2003
Midland RTF facility plan revised
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Construction continues at an accelerated pace on the
new ammonia/phosphorus removal facilities at Metro.
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A revised and updated Facilities Plan
was submitted to the State DEC for the Midland Avenue Regional
Treatment Facility and Conveyances project.
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A presentation on the Kirkpatrick Street Pump Station
project was given to the Lakefront Development
Corporation Board of Director's Meeting on January
9th.
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Worked began on the Brighton Sewer Separation
project on January 9th and then was halted due to
weather conditions. One manhole was installed.
Construction will re-commence when weather improves.
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Peer review panel met on Seneca River Model with
County monitoring staff.
(ACJ Completion date for Ammonia Full Scale—11/3/03—schedule concerns)
(ACJ Completion date for Phosphorus Removal Stage II—4/1/05—on schedule)
Construction continues at accelerated pace in winter conditions.
This project is one of the only large construction
projects currently underway in
Central New York despite cold snowy weather
conditions. Placement of steel and concrete is moving
at an accelerated rate in the ammonia removal (BAF),
the phosphorus removal (HRFS) and UV portions of the
facilities. The general contractor, Pike Company, has
completed concrete placement for all of the 18 BAF
cells up to the nozzle decks. Testing for water
tightness has been initiated on the cells. Influent
channels have been placed on half of the BAF cells and
all the concrete has been placed for the UV structure.
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Unloading UV equipment, Jan 14, 2003
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Assembling UV equipment, Jan 14, 2003
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Setting up the UV equipment began in mid-January.
The manufacturer is onsite to inspect the work. To
date, Pike Company has completed 70% of the total
concrete work placing 19,000 cubic yards of the 27,000
expected. Structural steel has been placed for the
blower and electrical room and roof framing.
Electrical work continues.
The Electrical contractor, Ridley Electric, is
continuing to install below slab conduits and the main
switch gear.
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Structural steel erected for electrical-mechanical room, Dec 3, 2002
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HVAC work proceeds.
HVAC contractor, Edward Joy Company, continued to
install gas piping from the digester which will feed
all three new boilers. Boiler completion is scheduled
for February 2003. Until the digester connection is
completed, the boilers will run on natural gas. Work
is also continuing on the necessary fiber optic
conduit.
Plumbing contractor continues.
Plumbing contractor, Burns Brothers, continued on
imbedded items in the BAF/HRFS concrete slabs.
Dewatering continues.
Dewatering (under site preparation contract) is
continuing and the system has lowered ground water
below the excavation of all areas needed. It is
anticipated that full scale dewatering and treatment
will be discontinued in early 2003. The contract is
95% complete. Dewatering and ground water treatment for
miscellaneous trench excavations will be conducted on
an as-needed basis following discontinuance of the
full time operation.
Process equipment continues arriving.
Process equipment from US Filter/Krüger continues
arriving regularly on site and is turned over to the
general contractor for installation.
The following meetings were held this month:
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Construction progress meetings were held bi-weekly on Thursdays at 10 a.m.
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Weekly meetings held between construction manager (CDM/C&S), design engineer and the County.
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Modification review meetings held weekly.
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Scheduling meetings held weekly with all prime contractors.
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Special meetings were held this month regarding water tightness in concrete tanks and cold weather concrete placement procedures.
This is the largest and most costly single project in
the Amended Consent Judgment program and will have the
greatest positive impacts on the water quality of
Onondaga Lake by removing more ammonia and phosphorus
from the Metro effluent discharge.
(ACJ Project milestone—January 1, 2012—Project ahead of schedule)
Gas Line installation completed by NiMo.
Niagara Mohawk crews completed work this month to
replace the old cast iron gas main with a new main and
make changes in lateral hook ups to homes as
necessary. With the cooperation of NiMo, this work
was done prior to the start of the installation of the
new sewers by the County's contractor, C.O. Falter.
By replacing the gas main first, it reduces the
possibility of disturbing the old more vulnerable main
and causing a disruption to services. NiMo's work was
slowed by inclement weather conditions and emergency
work elsewhere that the crews must respond to.
Construction of separated sewers begins.
On January 9th, C.O. Falter began construction at the
intersection of Marguerite and Hunt Ave. A new
manhole was excavated and installed over the existing
interceptor sewer and backfilled. Falter proceeded
with construction; however, due to sub-zero
temperatures and frozen ground, the last day of
construction was January 17th. On January 27th,
Falter notified the County that due to the depth of
frost in the roadway and cold temperatures, they would
need to cease construction until April 1st or earlier
if the weather improves before that time.
The County and CDM/C&S agreed with the contractor's
concern that while breaking up the frost, damage could
occur with utility lines including the new gas main
just installed. The construction schedule originally
submitted by the contractor included the potential for
2-3 month delay due to winter weather conditions. The
overall project was slated to take 6-9 months, weather
dependent.
This sewer separation project involves about eight blocks
on the City's south side and about one hundred houses.
Residents are being kept informed as work progresses.
When work commences again, the contractor will be
working along Brighton Avenue and at the intersection
of Brighton and Hunt with installation of another new
manhole.
Work to be done includes the installation of new sewer
lines and conversion of existing combined lines to
stormwater use only. Lead water services encountered
during sewer construction will be replaced by the
County to reduce presence of lead services.
Much coordination will be necessary between the
County's contractor, NiMo, City Water, and other
utilities.
(ACJ completion date—Phase II RTF—5/01/04 & Phase III Conveyance—5/01/07)
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Lowering BAF blower unit into the BAF utility building, Jan 2003
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Preliminary designs developed further and information compiled.
Information on city-owned properties needed for this
project were forwarded as requested to the federal
judge in follow up to his November decision which
supported the County's right to use eminent domain
with just compensation to acquire City-owned
properties. A decision from the judge is pending.
Design engineers and County staff finalized a revised
facilities plan for this project and forwarded it
to DEC on January 31.
Click here for the revised facility plan.
Engineers also continued to develop a preliminary
design for the County's current preferred option which
includes a combination of vortex treatment and
below-ground storage. This option reduces the overall
size of the above-ground portion of the treatment
facility by about one-third. Meetings continue with
County staff to discuss design start up, site plans,
property acquisitions and environmental review.
Design documents received by County.
Design documents were finalized and forwarded to the
County for the additional ten areas in the City of
Syracuse proposed for sewer separation under the ACJ.
Funding for this design effort was through the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers. Design documents for the Brighton
Avenue and the Water Street projects were completed
under this contract and finalized earlier so that
projects could be moved along into construction. Water
Street is completed and the Brighton Avenue project is
underway.
RFP for engineering services.
An RFP for engineering services was issued on January
10 to review designs and facilitate construction of
the remaining sewer separation projects over the next
5 or more years. A pre-proposal meeting was held on
January 30th and proposals are due back to the County
on February 21.
(ACJ dates—Commence construction of conveyances and RTF—May 1, 2003—milestone revision requested.)
The following work activities were accomplished this
month: completed traffic analysis for modification to
the Fayette and Dickerson Street detour plan for
during construction, continued coordination with
subcontractor, Hartgen Associates on revised Phase 1B
field reconnaissance plan for the Dickerson Street and
Clinton Station potential RTF sites
The goal of the Clinton project is to address the
abatement of ten CSOs between Fayette and Adams
Streets to be served by a Clinton Area Facility
located near downtown Syracuse. The Facilities Plan
evaluates alternative technologies to address the
overflows and alternative sites for a
storage/treatment facility.
(ACJ completion date for In-Water system- 7/1/02—Not implementable—Milestone Revision requested )
Mailing lists compiled and meetings planned.
Mailing lists of residents in the west side of the
City along Harbor Brook were compiled to use with
upcoming mailings concerning public meetings on the
project. Meeting places were identified and
availability sessions scheduled for February.
Individual notices will be mailed to area residents
and various alternative times offered for them to
attend sessions and meet with project planners and
engineers to discuss this project.
The draft Harbor Brook facility
plan was released in March 2002 which outlines and
evaluates alternative technologies including the
in-water system for abating and treating the 18 CSOs
which release into Harbor Brook. This draft plan also
identifies potential sites for CSO abatement
facilities.
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Steel decking installed in BAF utility plenum room, Jan 2003
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During 2003, the County will continue to proceed with
public participation activities with interested
residents and organizations in the Harbor Brook area
and hopes to finalize the Facility Plan with a
recommended alternative and necessary environmental
review by the end of 2003.
The year 2002 was important in the Amended Consent Judgment program
because, under Appendix B page 10-12 of the ACJ,
ten CSO-related projects each had a
major milestone completion date of July 1, 2002. Some
of these "interim" projects were completed well ahead
of the major milestone date, and all except two met
the major milestone date. Two projects—the Kirkpatrick
Street Pump Station Upgrade and the Harbor Brook In-Water
System—required milestone extensions which were
requested of the State and are under review. The
projects are listed below by date completed:
Under Appendix A of the ACJ, certain improvement
projects at Metro were designated as interim projects
and given a major milestone date for completion of
July 1, 2002. All six projects were completed by the
milestone date and most well ahead of schedule.
The projects are listed below by date completed:
Tributary sampling
Bi-weekly tributary sampling events were conducted
January 2, 14, and 28. Appropriate notification was
provided to DEC and ASLF prior to sampling dates.
The tributary sampling on January 2 qualified as a
high flow event. Five high flow events are required
to be sampled annually. This is the first such event
for the 2003 sampling year.
Lake sampling
Sampling in the Lake was conducted on January 7 at the
South Deep station. Appropriate notification was
provided to DEC and ASLF prior to sampling dates.
River sampling
None to report.
Fisheries sampling
All of the 219 larval samples collected during 2002
has been sorted and identified. Verification is underway.
Peer review meeting held
County staff met with the six designated peer
reviewers for the river model on January 13 through
17th at the County's offices. Peer reviewers were
given presentations by County staff and consultants
and took part in an in-depth review of the river
model. Reviewers include experts from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of
Guelph, Ontario; Heidelberg College; the USGS and
Region 4 of the USEPA as well as a representative of
the Massachusetts Department of Environmental
Protection. Funding for the peer review is coming from
the Lake Partnership.
None to report.
CME Associates: Contract with CME amended for additional testing
services on various projects, including the
ammonia/phosphorus removal project.
Contract amount: $100,000. Executed 1/10/03.
CDM/C&S, A Joint Venture:Contract with CDM/C&S amended to include program
management services for 2003.
Contract amount: $305,000. Executed 1/31/03.
None to report.
Action items of the County legislature in the month
of January: No action items presented.
Upcoming for January committees: No items scheduled.
Upcoming for February committees: Authorizing the
acquisition of property to enable the County of
Onondaga to comply with requirements set forth in the
Onondaga Lake Amended Consent Judgment for the
construction, operation, and maintenance of Phase II
of the Midland Avenue Regional Treatment Facility and
Conveyances Project.
State Bond Act funds
Payments received this month from State Bond Act
funds: None to report.
Total received to date in State Bond Act funds:
$33,043,234.
Federal EPA funds
Payments received this month from Federal EPA funds:
None to report.
Total received to date in Federal EPA funds:
$16,286,189.
Federal Army Corps of Engineers funds
Payments received
this month from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers:
None to report.
Total received to date from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
funds: $4,804,864.
Loans
The following reimbursement payments were
received from EFC during the month of January:
Ammonia/phosphorus removal: Request #8 for
$642,878.30 received on 1/17/03 for aggregate total on
second loan of $12,393,304.17. Total for both loans:
$65,734,304.17.
Total reimbursement monies received to date through
EFC Loans for the funded ACJ projects: $101,381,695
(short term), $7,677,996 (long term).
Next quarterly ACJ All-parties meeting scheduled for
Wednesday, February 5, 2003 in Syracuse at the DEC
Regional offices.
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Susan Miller, Project Deputy Director
Onondaga County Dept of Water Environment Protection