Key Takeaways
- The Onondaga County Water Authority (OCWA) has been dealing with leaks at a ruptured transmission line in Cicero, New York, for at least seven months.
- The agency has been trying to repair a series of increasingly serious leaks, but the repairs have failed, and the water line has been shut down.
- OCWA’s director believes the two leaks, one discovered in the summer and the other in November, are unrelated, but court documents suggest that the earlier leak could have had dire consequences for the main transmission line.
- The agency is working to bring emergency supplies online and reduce water use across the six affected towns east of Syracuse.
- Residents and businesses have been asked to dramatically reduce water use, and daily water use has fallen to 3.5 million gallons, matching the amount of water OCWA is able to provide through emergency measures.
Introduction to the Water Crisis
The Onondaga County Water Authority (OCWA) has been battling leaks at the site of a ruptured transmission line in Cicero, New York, for at least seven months. The agency has been trying to repair a series of increasingly serious leaks, but the repairs have failed, and the water line has been shut down. The main transmission line, which supplies water to 27,000 customers in eastern Onondaga and western Madison counties, has been a major concern for the agency. In the summer, OCWA repaired a leak in a "blowoff valve," designed to release air pressure in the main eastern transmission line. However, just before Thanksgiving, the agency discovered a problem with the main transmission line itself, which has led to a series of repairs and ultimately the shutdown of the water line.
The Summer Leak and Its Consequences
The problems began at the site on Wheatley Road in Cicero early in the year when OCWA identified the leak in the underground valve. It appeared to be a minor leak, according to OCWA’s director, Jeff Brown, and wasn’t a top priority. However, in court documents filed in June, OCWA’s director of operations, Geoffrey Miller, said the earlier leak in the valve could have dire consequences for the main transmission line. Miller wrote that if the valve leak was not repaired quickly and got worse, or if it failed catastrophically, it could significantly damage the transmission main. Despite these concerns, the agency was unable to repair the leak immediately due to a dispute with the landowner, Brian Hafner, who blocked work crews from accessing the site.
The November Discovery and Repairs
Three months after the summer leak was repaired, OCWA discovered a problem with the main transmission line itself. The property owners had evicted Hafner, and the new owners noticed water bubbling up from the ground on the property, which led to the discovery of the leak. The first transmission main leak was detected on November 21, and OCWA work crews repaired it on December 6 by welding the pipe. However, two days later, the agency found two more leaks downstream from the first one, which required more extensive work. The repairs involved casting 10-foot-long concrete rings around the cracks, hoping that would hold until spring, when a permanent repair was planned. Unfortunately, the repairs failed, and the water line had to be shut down on December 20.
The Shutdown and Emergency Measures
The shutdown of the water line led to a scramble to bring emergency supplies online and reduce water use across the six affected towns east of Syracuse. OCWA filled a 50-million-gallon reservoir consisting of two storage tanks in Manlius, which supplied residents while the work was being done. However, the reservoirs are now a lifeline for water users, and the agency has had to ramp up public requests for residents and businesses to dramatically reduce water use. The agency has asked residents and businesses to reduce their water use, and daily water use has fallen from the typical seasonal total of 5 million gallons per day to about 3.5 million gallons. This reduction in water use has allowed the agency to match the amount of water it is able to provide through emergency measures, and the reservoir is currently at 20% full.
The Current Situation and Future Plans
The current situation is stable, but the agency is working to find a permanent solution to the problem. OCWA’s director, Jeff Brown, said that the agency is working to bring the water line back online, but it may take some time. In the meantime, the agency is relying on emergency measures to provide water to residents and businesses. The agency is also working to reduce water use across the affected areas and is asking residents and businesses to continue to conserve water. The situation is being closely monitored, and the agency is providing updates to the public on its progress. Overall, the situation is serious, but the agency is working to find a solution and minimize the impact on residents and businesses.
