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Regional Treatment Facility (The Sewage Plant) at Midland. How it works. Onondaga County’s Proposal Includes. Partial sewer separation. Some underground storage. A sewage treatment plant called a “Regional Treatment Facility,” or RTF.
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Regional Treatment Facility(The Sewage Plant)at Midland How it works
Onondaga County’s Proposal Includes • Partial sewer separation. • Some underground storage. • A sewage treatment plant called a “Regional Treatment Facility,” or RTF.
This is Onondaga County‘s “artist’s rendition” of the RTF. The constructed building will be: 24,000 square feet 24 feet high Think “Department Store”
The building will house: Two vortex swirlers A pumping station Odor control and ventilation equipment Electrical and control equipment Chemical storage Office space
Storage • A variety of containers will store 8-1/2 million gallons of combined sewage. • The County estimates that the storage volume will be exceeded, causing overflows into the Creek, 9 to 10 times each year.
Vortex Separator (Swirler) • Swirling separates 35% of the solids in the water. • It does not separate all solids. • This is problematic because chlorine needs time to penetrate the solids.
Chlorination / Dechlorination Liquid sodium hypochlorite (chlorine) will be added as a disinfectant, then Sodium bisulfate will be added to eliminate residual chlorine.
County Proposal At times of heavy rainfall, the sewage can only be partially treated before being dumped into the creek. About 10 times a year the treated sewage will be discharged into Onondaga Creek.
Approximately 60 times a year, the plant will be “operational.”
Most of these times, the treated, partially treated, and raw sewage will be sent back inline to be treated again at Metro.
Each time this unnecessary step occurs, the expense is passed on to the taxpayer..
The chlorination process will discharge toxic byproducts into the Creek and ultimately, Onondaga Lake.
The Planned Sewage plant (RTF) does not remove ammonia or phosphates. Each time there is a discharge, these will go into Onondaga Creek and the Lake.
Ammonia and phosphate are well known for their destruction of habitat. The METRO plant is effective In removing both ammonia and phosphate.
When the sewer system in Syracuse is upgraded (sewer separation) this sewage plant will become obsolete. Useless.
The planned sewage plant (RTF) is an inappropriate, inefficient, environmentally harmful, operationally costly, and complex operating system with many details that can go wrong.
However, • there is technology that is: • Simpler • Non-harming • More efficient • Cost effective
That APPROPRIATE technology is Underground Storage
How it Works The system captures and stores excess sewer flow, preventing it from going into Onondaga Creek.
Stored sewage is returned to the sewer system when space is available at the main treatment facility (METRO). All sewage is kept underground!
There are four underground storage compartments. When there is a storm, only the first compartment is filled. Then, as a storm increases flow, other compartments are filled.
Simple in design. Elegant.
Everything else is UNDERGROUND. There will be an above ground odor control building.
Costs • Underground storage systems are extremely cost effective. • There is little to maintain, and not much to operate, so operation and maintenance costs are minimal.
So Many Advantages! • No underground chlorination tanks. • No toxic chlorine compounds. • Full treatment of combined sewage at METRO (the main sewage plant). • Minimized costs to the ratepayer. • Requires only a proportional, simple, above ground facility. • Non stigmatizing. • Easily adopts to new sewer separation systems. • Keeps sewage underground!
A note on Sewer Separation… • When sewers are separated, what comes from your toilet runs in a separate line to METRO. • Street run-off is sent through a different line.
This reduces frequent flooding of streets and basements. • It eliminates Combined Sewage Overflows. • It renews a crumbling sewer infrastructure. • It operates more cost effectively than offline storage or regional treatment facilities.
Making the Case for Sewer Separation & Underground Storage • Underground storage would be an incentive to sewer separation. • Currently, the sewer system in Syracuse is in need of replacement. • The Walton Street pipes date 1855!
Overflows • Underground storage, without additional sewer separation, would be 98% to 99% effective in eliminating overflows. • With additional sewer separation, there would be NO overflows.
Who Can Figure?Why NOT Underground Storage? • It’s better for Onondaga Creek • It’s better for the fish and water animals • It’s better for Onondaga Lake • It’s better for the neighborhood • It’s better for the taxpayer • It’s better for our future….
UNDERGROUND STORAGE IT’S A BETTER SOLUTION Onondaga Creek