Commissioner's message:
2007 Annual Report

by Randy R. Ott, PE

This is my first opportunity as Commissioner to include a summary of the Department's Annual Report. This summary briefly highlights some of the many achievements attained during 2007 which are described in more detail throughout the annual report. I would first like to recognize and congratulate retiring County Executive Nicholas J. Pirro and retiring Physical Services Administrator James A. Albanese for their support of the Department for many years and their commitment to improving Onondaga Lake. I wish them continued success in their future endeavors.

I would also like to express my thanks to the entire Department's staff for their support during my first year as Commissioner. Your experience, dedication and hard work have made 2007 another successful year where much has been accomplished.

The design and construction of Amended Consent Judgment (ACJ) Projects continued to be a focus of the Department during 2007.

• The operation of the Ammonia and Phosphorus Removal System at the Metropolitan Syracuse WWTP produced an effluent quality in compliance with very low level permit limits resulting in the best water quality observed in Onondaga Lake in a century. Onondaga Lake received regional and national attention this past summer as the National BassMasters Memorial Tournament took place on July 28th an 29th.

Midland RTF (Jan 2008)

• The Midland Ave. RTF project was completed and scheduled to start up in January 2008 capturing and treating Combined Sewer Overflows. The Midland Ave. RTF is a combination of 2.5 million gallons of underground storage and a 213 mgd vortex separation system followed by a 1.0 million gallon high rate disinfection tank. When the Midland Phase III conveyance line is complete the Midland RTF will capture and treat overflows from ten CSO outlets.
• New dewatering centrifuges were put into operation as part of the Biosolids Improvement project at Metro. This new equipment reduces the volume of biosolids and produces a drier cake saving $750,000 annually in biosolids management costs. A new dual fuel natural gas and biogas engine generator was also completed as part of the Biosolids Improvement Project. This co generator engine will produce electricity savings of approximately $237,000 annually.
• The final design was completed for the Midland Phase III and Clinton RTF and Conveyances projects. Construction started on the first phase of the Clinton Conveyances and the Department expects to award the Clinton RTF project in early 2008.

The department continued its capital improvement program of upgrading treatment plants, pump stations and sewer systems.

• Construction of the Wetzel Road WWTP upgrade and the Sawmill Creek PS Project continued during 2007 with start up of these new facilities scheduled for early in 2008.
• Improvements at the Meadowbrook Limestone WWTP were completed including new influent pumps and new screening and grit removal equipment.
• The project to replace pumps at the Metro Low Lift PS and the Harbor Brook PS was awarded and constructed was just underway towards the end of 2007.
• The second phase of the Metro Energy Project was also completed during 2007 which includes two 500 HP boilers at the plant operation building.

Wetzel Road plant under construction

• The following pump stations are being upgraded: Fly Road, Schuyler South, Cherry Estates and Northtown. Construction began late in 2007 on this project.
• The design of a project to rehab 6000 linear feet of sanitary sewers and replace 1000 feet of sanitary sewer pipe was completed during 2007. The project was awarded with construction to begin in 2008.
• The department culminated a two year effort to solicit proposals and award a new 10 year biosolids services contract under provision of Section 120 W of the General Municipal Law. The Onondaga County Legislature approved the contract with Wastestream Environmental to process biosolids into a Class A biosolids product for sale to the agricultural community. A guaranteed revenue of $60,000 per year for the sale of the product is part of the new agreement as well as processing equipment and odor control system upgrades for the entire facility located at Metro.

Jim Jones, senior operator, conducts a tour of the Metro plant for a local Girl Scout troop.

The following highlights a small sampling of notable accomplishments in several department sections.

• The I/E Section provided continued support for the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) installing new field wiring and equipment and programming software modifications at the departments six wastewater treatment plants and various pump stations.
• The mechanical maintenance section completed an enormous list of equipment maintenance at all the department facilities too numerous to mention here but are detailed in the annual report. The excellent effort by this section to maintain equipment and keep it in service enables the operating staff to operate treatment plants each day in compliance with permit limits.
• Another highlight of 2007 was staff at the Oak Orchard WWTP operating the plant the entire calendar year with zero permit violations. This is an extraordinary accomplishment.
• In addition to meeting all the department computer needs the Information Technology Section completed the upgrade of several major data bases such as the Laboratory's Winlins, the Metro operations data base and the Metro and dewatering data base.

Instrument used for chemical analysis

• The Personnel Section was very busy during 2007 implementing an upgraded Knonos time clock system throughout the department as part of a county wide effort.
• The Fleet Maintenance Section was again chosen by Bridgestone-Firestone Tire and Rubber Division to be their only official test tire fleet in the Northeastern United States. This program has saved the county a total of $12,000 the past two years.
• The department's environmental laboratory conducted 81,000 analyses in 2007 in addition to installing several pieces of new equipment, improving several analytical methodologies and installing new software to improve efficiency.
• The Flow Control Division implemented the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers purchased through a grant from the County Executive's Technology Venture Capital program. The equipment is used to collect positional data throughout the county including infrastructure such as manholes, trunk sewers, pump stations and treatment plants for inclusion in the department's Graphic Information Data Base.
• The Training & Safety Section continued to train as many staff as possible on a limited budget. As the workforce retires more financial resources will be required to adequately train new staff to operate increasingly sophisticated equipment.
• The Engineering & Laboratory Services Division completed the development of an Onondaga Lake Water Quality Model that will be used to address the salient lake management options and questions. The integrated lake modeling framework was calibrated and peer reviewed during 2007.

We look forward to working with newly elected County Executive Joanne Mahoney and her administration as we address our many challenges in constructing and operating wastewater collection and treatment facilities.

Respectfully,
 
Randy R. Ott, PE
Commissioner