Sewer separation: Rockland-Parkway area

Parkway Drive, looking toward South Avenue (Nov 2006)

Quick reference
— Work underway (April 2007)
— Background
— Construction information
— Agencies involved

Sewer separation for CSO basin 050 involves installation of 4200 feet of new sewer pipeline. Construction began in spring '07. The project is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2008. The entire project is estimated to cost $4 million.

Work underway (April 2007)

The following actions were completed recently:

Bids were opened April 11, 2007.
Three bids were received and are currently under review.

Background

Onondaga County is installing new sewers in your area to help improve the water quality of Onondaga Creek and Onondaga Lake.

Like many older cities, Syracuse has combined sewers throughout the city. These sewers carry not only the wastewater from our bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms but also the stormwater that drains from the streets.

When the volume of stormwater is high, such as during a heavy rain, the sewers get full of the combined wastewater and stormwater. They then overflow into Onondaga Creek through discharge points called combined sewer overflows. One overflow (#050) is active in the Parkway-Rockland neighborhood.

Onondaga County's sewer improvement project will reduce the amount of discharge and frequency of the discharge, and most importantly, change the pipe to releasing stormwater only.

Where will the work take place?

The County will separate the combined sewers in the following streets:

Parkway Drive (100-300 blocks)

South Avenue (parts of 1300-1400 blocks)

Rockland Avenue (100 and 200 blocks)

East Bissell Street

Shelbourne Place

Bellaire Place

Temple Place

New sanitary sewers will be installed on Rockland Avenue, Parkway Drive, Shelbourne Place, Bellaire Place, and a short stretch of South Avenue. New storm sewers will be installed on Temple Place and a portion of East Bissell Street.

What will be done?

In the first part of the project, new sanitary sewer pipes will be placed in the streets, and the existing combined pipe will be converted to carry only stormwater to the Creek.

Later in the project, new sanitary sewers will be installed on Shelbourne Place, Bellaire Place, and a short stretch of South Ave. In addition, new storm sewers will be installed on Temple Place and a portion of East Bissell Street.

While installing 4200 feet of new sanitary sewers, Onondaga County will also:

Replace sewer laterals from the street to the curb line
Repair the existing sewers as needed
Repair and restore streets and curbs that are disturbed
Replace active lead or galvanized water services, if exposed, from the City's valve to the curb with copper pipe. (Homeowners remain responsible for the water line from the curb into the house.)

When will the work be done?

The work will begin in the spring of 2007 and proceed on a street-by-street basis. The entire project is expected to be completed by the fall of 2008.

The benefit

When this entire project is completed, only stormwater will enter Onondaga Creek from this area, and all sanitary sewage will be carried to the Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant for treatment.

Construction information

Residents will receive advance notice before construction starts on their block, and we will attempt to keep the disturbance to residents to a minimum.

Location & hours

All the construction will take place in the streets and the streets' rights-of-way. No work should be necessary on private property or in any home. Construction will occur during normal daytime hours.

Traffic

The County has worked with the City of Syracuse to develop a traffic detour plan. When traffic on through streets must be detoured, construction managers will make sure that everyone can reach his house or business.

Water

Some water services may have to be temporarily and briefly turned off. Such disruptions should last only an hour or two. The County will work with the City Water department to restore service as soon as possible and provide an alternate water source if necessary. You will receive prior notice if your water service will be interrupted.

Gas

National Grid will also be installing new gas lines in certain areas prior to the sewer line work causing brief interruptions in gas service. Residents and businesses will receive advance notification from National Grid 48 to 72 hours before any service interruption.

Special needs

If you or family members in the house have a medical condition or handicap that will require special access needs
Click here to email, or phone 315-435-2260 x371.

Agencies involved

This sewer separation work is being performed by the Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection (WEP). WEP is coordinating its efforts with the City of Syracuse to make sure that the sewers, water services, roads, and curbs are property restored for the benefit of the neighborhood's residents.

O'Brien & Gere Engineers designed the sewer separation project under contract to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Army Corps is providing some funding to Onondaga County for the work.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) has approved the plans and specifications for the sewer separation work. This sewer separation project is one of over 30 projects that Onondaga County has undertaken as part of the Amended Consent Judgment that the County signed in 1998 along with NYS DEC, the State Attorney General, and the Atlantic States Legal Foundation aimed at improving the water quality of Onondaga Lake.