2008 was another busy year for the Authority and its staff. In June OCWA awarded bids for the expansion and improvement of the Authority’s water treatment plant in Marcellus. When completed in late 2009 the treatment plant will be able to more readily comply with both the new and future requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Also in June, the Metropolitan Water Board (MWB) and OCWA signed an agreement whereby the Authority will replace the County’s Eastern and Western open reservoirs with covered storage facilities. It is worth noting that the original cost estimate of $55 million for the first two tanks has been dramatically reduced to $33 million. Construction of the two tanks began in March of 2009 and will carry into 2010.
The Southern Onondaga water project neared completion by the end of 2008 and in turn OCWA is now serving its first customers in the Town of Otisco and Spafford.
Finally, in July of 2008 OCWA assumed operation and maintenance of the East Syracuse water system, adding 1,350 customers to the system.
Projected for 2009
As for 2009, in addition to the aforementioned projects being under construction, OCWA assumed operation and maintenance responsibility for MWB’s Southern Branch facilities, which includes large transmission mains, two large pump stations and three storage tanks. The Southern Branch system is used to supply both the City of Syracuse and OCWA’s customers in the Town of Onondaga.
Other major activities planned for 2009 include the replacement of water main on East Taft Road, in conjunction with an Onondaga County Department of Transportation road reconstruction project and a main replacement project in the Village of Canastota, also being coordinated with a road-rebuilding project.
One final noteworthy item relates to the 2008 Associated Press three-piece story on pharmaceuticals in drinking water sources. While the Onondaga County Water Authority was not one of the systems covered by the story, the article did stir interest of OCWA’s Board and Management. To that end, in April of 2008 the Authority made arrangements, through an independent laboratory, to test for some common pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the raw and treated waters of both Otisco Lake and Lake Ontario. Click here for full test results.
OCWA statistics for 2008
Daily average system delivery
38.55 million gallons per day
Maximum day system delivery
44.05 million gallons per day
Average daily unmetered water use
5.11 million gallons per day
Total annual delivered by OCWA
14.11 billion gallons
Total water treated by OCWA
6.33 billion gallons
Total annual purchased water from MWB
7.89 billion gallons
Total annual purchased water from Syracuse
0.45 billion gallons
Figures as of January 1, 2008
Average cost for residential & commercial consumers
$ 3.14
per 1000 gallons
Population served
340,000
retail & wholesale
Accounts
89,983
Miles of water main
1,773
Number of hydrants
11,149
Storage facilities
47
Pumping facilities
36
More information: or 315-455-7061 After hours & weekend emergency answering service 315-475-7601
