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New portion of 54-inch Main Interceptor Sewer at Midland
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Monthly report—April 2005
2005 sewer separation starts
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During April, construction work on Phase II of
the Midland RTF and Conveyances project continued.
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Work focused on completing replacement of a section of the
Main Interceptor Sewer that crosses the project site.
The pipe is being replaced in two sections. The first
section on the northern part of the site was completed
last month. Work was begun last month on the second
section to be replaced and continued this month. So
far, work completed on the second section includes
removal of the existing pipe, hook-up of the bypass
system to this section, and beginning installation of
the new 54-inch HDPE pipe. Sheeting, bracing, and
excavation to the top of the pipe was completed during
March.
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Also, 26,000 tons of soil material were excavated
for the disinfection tank and continuation of the
support of excavation system including the second
level of tie-backs in the area.
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A new traffic light was installed on South Avenue near
the Southwest Community Center.
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Midland Avenue was closed between Bellevue and
West Castle streets. Notifications were distributed to
emergency agencies and bus operations on April 27.
Buses had already changed routes because of
construction detours caused by the nearby Tallman
Street sewer separation project. This portion of
Midland will remained closed until June 2006 to allow
construction to take place.
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Under contract with the County, Alpha Boats began
its 2005 season of trash removal in the Inner Harbor
and along Creek and the immediate lakeshore during
April. The vessel and crew worked well last year
collecting over 21 tons of floatable debris. During
April and May, the boat is on a once-a-week collection
schedule.
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Meeting held on April 26 between County
representatives and officers of the Armory Square
Association regarding the Clinton CSO Abatement Plan.
Various mitigation measures were discussed.
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Requests for proposals were issued by the County
on April 22 for the engineering, design, and
construction services for the Clinton and Harbor Brook
CSO projects as described in the recently released
facilities plans. A pre-proposal meeting was scheduled
for May 10, and proposals are due on Friday, May 27.
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Sewer separation, 2004
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Work recommenced this month on the
Tallman-Onondaga sewer separation project following
the winter hiatus. Work will include finishing
remaining separation activities and final street
restorations. This project is designed to eliminate
four existing combined sewer overflows that currently
discharge to Onondaga Creek.
(ACJ Completion date for ammonia full-scale—11/3/03—Revision requested)
(ACJ Completion date for Phosphorus Removal Stage II—4/1/05—on schedule)
Construction.
All major construction work on the project is now
completed and contractors are working on punch list
items.
Activities related to the start up of the HRFS
Phosphorus Removal System.
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BAF effluent is now flowing through the HRFS
influent channel, through all four trains and the
effluent channel.
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The 30-day performance test on the HRFS facility
began in February and was completed in March. Results
are under review and analysis by the County and the
project's consultant, EEA.
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October 1 is the target to initiate testing under
the next step of the Phosphorus Pilot Study.
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Installing the forms for the concrete fillets in the HRFS settling tanks, April 2004
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The Ammonia Removal/Phosphorus Removal Upgrade to
Metro was fully completed in 2004. This project 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 milestone date July 1, 2012 completion)
Construction recommences after winter shut down.
Construction began again on this project on April 18th
following shut down of this project during the winter
months.
During April, the following activities took place:
work was initiated on the Tallman Street sewers and
cured-in-place pipe liner was completed along Onondaga
Ave. and Eloise Terrace. The contractor will be
completing post construction videotapes along Onondaga
Ave. and Midland Ave. during May prior to final road
restoration that includes milling and placement of the
top course of asphalt. In the fall of '04, binder
course was placed on all of the roads disturbed by
construction to date and final road restoration was
planned for this spring.
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Onondaga Avenue during sewer separation in November 2004
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This project will separate four combined sewer areas
in the Tallman/Midland/Onondaga Ave. area and
eliminate CSOs #038 and #040 in the Tallman/Midland
area and #046A and #046B near Onondaga Ave. on the
City's west side. C.O Falter was the successful
bidder on the contract.
The total construction of the project is estimated to
cost $4.9 million with 70-30 reimbursement from the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers. Under this project, new
sewers will be installed and in most areas, existing
combined sewers will be converted for use by
storm water only. When finished, these four sewer
overflow discharge points (# 038,040, 046A and 046B)
will no longer discharge a combination of untreated
sewage and storm water to Onondaga Creek.
(ACJ completion date—Phase II RTF—5/01/04 & Phase III Conveyance—5/01/07 Milestone revisions requested)
Construction continues
Construction during the month primarily focused on
work related to the replacement of the 48" Main
Interceptor Sewer where it crosses the construction
site. The pipe will be replaced in two sections.
During March, the first section of MIS on the northern
end of the site was replaced and the excavation
refilled. Work that began on replacement of the
second section in March continued during April. Work
completed this month included the removal of the
existing MIS in that area and installation of a
portion of new 54" pipe along with installation of
three manholes.
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Workers installing internal steel supports in the Midland trench site, April 2005
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In addition, a total of 26,000 tons of soil material
was excavated and hauled off site from the area of the
future disinfection tank for the facility.
Construction conditions encountered caused the closure
of Midland Ave. between Bellevue and West Castle
Streets about one month earlier than previously
planned. Notifications of the closure were distributed
to bus companies and emergency services on April 27th.
This portion of Midland will remain closed until June
2006. Bus routes had been previously detoured due to
nearby construction activities on the Tallman Sewer
Separation project.
Public participation
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A four-page newsletter compiled by the County was
mailed to over 300 businesses and residences and local
officials in the vicinity of the Midland project. The
newsletter contained detailed information on the
project and upcoming construction activities along
with photos from the site.
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Presentation given by Sue Miller to class at
Syracuse University on the Midland Project on April
14th.
Traffic Light installed
Installation was completed this month on the
a traffic light on South Ave. to
improve the safety for pedestrians crossing in the
vicinity of the Southwest Community Center. The
County agreed to install this light because additional
traffic is being detoured on South Ave. due to nearby
construction of the Midland project.
Upcoming construction activities
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Completion of sheeting and replacement of the second
section of the main interceptor sewer that crosses the
site.
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Continuation of excavation on the main facility
site.
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Start of sheeting for new CSO conveyance pipe.
(ACJ dates—Commence construction of conveyances and RTF—May 1, 2003—Milestone revision requested.)
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Clinton Street CSO Abatement Project Facility Plan (Feb 2005 draft) and accompanying were submitted to the State DEC
for review and comment on March 1, 2005. The report
recommends construction of a regional treatment
facility using vortex technology and high-rate
disinfection with dechlorination at the Clinton
station site. Conveyance pipes will connect the CSOs
to the facility and also serve as inline storage.
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Presentation on project given to Environmental
Protection Committee of the County Legislature on
April 12.
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Contacts continued with a meeting on April 26
between the County and a subcommittee of the Armory
Square Association to discuss the status and effects
of the Facility Plan. Issues discussed with County project
staff including the project's proposed schedule and
mitigation measures.
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The County issued two requests for proposals on
April 22 concerning the Clinton and Harbor Brook CSO
abatement projects. One RFP covers design,
engineering, and construction services for the regional
treatment facilities. The second RFP covers design,
engineering, and construction services for the
conveyances associated with each project. Proposals
are due May 27.
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Press coverage was received this month on the proposed
project.
The initial draft facility plan was released to the
public in March 2002. The 2004 plan includes a
specific recommendation for technology and siting. 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 Facility Plan
evaluates alternative technologies to address the
overflows and alternative sites for a
storage-treatment facility and includes a recommended
plan and site near the Armory Square area.
completion date for in-water system—7/1/02—Not implementable—Milestone Revision requested )
Facility plan and EID submitted to DEC
The County forwarded copies of the Harbor Brook CSO
abatement facility plan and the accompanying
environmental information document to DEC for review
and comment on December 30, 2004. The plan specifies
a recommended alternative which includes storage and
treatment at two regional facilities (one near Grand
Avenue and Delaware Street and the other on State Fair
Boulevard), upgrading of two pumping stations, and five
floatables control facilities.
DEC Comment letter received
In a letter dated March 29, DEC forwarded comments
to the County on the draft facility plan and EID
submitted to DEC in December 2004. The comments are
under review by the County.
The County issued two requests for proposals on April
22 concerning the Clinton and Harbor Brook CSO
abatement projects. One RFP covers design,
engineering, and construction services for the regional
treatment facilities, and the second RFP covers design,
engineering and construction services for the
conveyances associated with each project. Proposals
are due May 27.
The initial draft Harbor Brook facility plan was
released in March 2002. The draft plan outlined and
evaluated alternative technologies and sites for
facilities to abate and treat the eighteen CSOs that
release to Harbor Brook. The 2004 plan recommends
specific technologies and sites.
Design activities are underway by EEA and their
subconsultants for Phase III of the Midland project
that includes construction of a CSO conveyance to
pick up six overflow points between Dearborne Avenue
and Newell Street.
During April, subconsultant Brown and Caldwell
continued to conduct computer modeling analyses of the
proposed conveyance to determine necessary pipe sizes.
The environmental services subconsultant completed
site walk-through and initiated work on the
supplemental environmental information document.
Initiated design of regulator connections and a street
cut has been applied for related to future necessary
soil borings for geotechnical testing.
Major milestones met for CSO Interim Projects. The
following is a summary of the projects completed under
Appendix B pages 10-12 of the Amended Consent Judgment. Each of these ten
CSO-related projects 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.
The projects are listed below by date completed:
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Routine biweekly tributary sampling conducted on
April 19 and an extended tributary sampling was
completed on April 5 that also qualified as a
high-flow event.
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Sampling in the South Deep of the lake was completed
on April 14, and a double lake sampling of the North
and South Deep was completed on April 26.
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No river sampling conducted this month.
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With completion of a high-flow sampling event on
April 5, the County has completed four of its required
minimum of five tributary high-flow events to be
sampled annually.
During the week of April 25, the County completed
its first pelagic larvae sampling event under the
fisheries program. Eight such samplings are required
annually.
A letter was received March 29 from DEC giving
approval of the County's proposed 2005 Ambient
Monitoring Program. The official monitoring season
began April 1.
New contracts: None to report
Amendments to existing contracts: None to report.
Full-scale ammonia/phosphorus removal.
Contract with Burns Brothers, Inc amended for
various modifications including relocation of water
supply and drain, underground pipe supports, and
additional time needed to complete project.
Contract
amendment amount: $81,813.27. Executed 4/27/05.
Action items of the County Legislature in April: No items.
Upcoming for May legislative session: No items
Upcoming for May committee: No items.
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: $80,318,203.
Federal EPA funds
None to report
Total received
to date in Federal EPA funds: $51,826,514.
Federal Army Corps of Engineers funds
Sewer separation (CSOs 038, 040, 046A, and 046B): Received request
#4 in the amount of $118,123.15 on 4/27/05 for
aggregate total received on all sewer separation
projects $3,663,365.
Total received to date from
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funds: $7,069,365.
The following reimbursement payments were
received from EFC during the month of April:
Midland Avenue Phase II Conveyances & RTF
Received
request #6 in the amount of $687,422.69 on 4/19/05 for
total aggregate received of $8,182,237.93.
Total
reimbursement monies received to date through EFC
Loans for the funded ACJ projects: $152,197,436 (short
term), $10,205,703 (long term).
 Chronology of project construction starts
Contractors for construction projects
Lake Improvement Project Office
Grants and loans applied for—not yet approved
Grants received
Financial status report
—Photos by Joe Lorah
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Susan Miller, Project Deputy Director
Onondaga County Dept of Water Environment Protection