2009 Consumer Confidence Report & Annual Water Supply Statement

Important information about your water supply

May 2010 —The Onondaga County Water Authority is pleased to provide its customers and consumers with the Authority’s Annual Water Supply Statement and Consumer Confidence Report. Throughout this report readers will be able to find useful information specifically related to OCWA as well as information related to water in general. In addition to mailing the report to all customers of record, the Authority continues its practice of providing copies of the report to local libraries and posting the text on the Internet at www.ocwa.org.

Throughout 2009 the Authority continued its ongoing efforts related to shared services and consolidation. In February of 2009 OCWA entered into an agreement between the City of Syracuse Water Department and the Metropolitan Water Board (MWB) that turned over the operations and maintenance of the MWB Southern Branch facilities to OCWA. In December of 2009 the Authority entered into an agreement with the Village of Marcellus allowing OCWA to operate and maintain the Village system.

The Otisco Lake Water Treatment Plant Improvement Project (started in 2008), designed primarily to meet USEPA and health department disinfection byproduct regulations, is in operation and will be completed by June, 2010. In addition to addressing regulations, the project improves water quality and the overall safety and reliability of the treatment process by maximizing production and providing a consistent capacity during the treatment process. Further, the project replaced aging equipment and controls. Major work completed included the construction of two additional filters, the rehabilitation of the four existing filters, conversion from gaseous chlorine to liquid chlorine for disinfection, the addition of an air scour system for a more efficient backwash of the filters. The project also included the installation of a larger, more efficient generator to provide better reliability of operations during power outages and the original analog instrumentation and control system was replaced with a computer based control system. Energy improvements at the water plant included new high efficiency boilers, increased insulation in the roof and walls, installation of a white roof, replacement of windows, replacement of the plant water system constant speed pumps with a variable speed pump system, and new high efficiency lighting. Improvements at the Otisco Lake intake facility centered on the conversion from gaseous chlorine to chlorine dioxide and liquid chlorine for zebra mussel control and the pre-treatment of water supplied to the water treatment plant.

With respect to replacement of existing open finished water storage the Western 20 million gallon (MG) tank in Van Buren is nearing completion with the large concrete pours already completed. The final exterior concrete coating was applied this spring and the tank is expected to be tested and be put in service this July. Final site work, including storm water retention will be done this fall.

The Eastern 30 MG tank in Manlius is well under way with the excavation and initial concrete pours being completed by the end of 2009. Concrete pours for the floor, walls, columns and roof are underway and will be ongoing through the remainder of 2010. The Tank is projected to be tested and placed in service by the end of this year. Final site work will be done by summer 2011. Once the 30 MG tank is completed a second Eastern tank with a 20 million gallon capacity will be built within the footprint of the existing open reservoir. The design for this tank is being finalized and will be completed this summer. Bids will be sought later this year with construction projected to start in the spring of 2011 and completion projected for fall of 2012.

To learn more about the OCWA water system and water supply, you are urged to read the information included in this report and to visit the Authority web site, www.ocwa.org.