Cuomo says fix our own pipes, we are not sustainable. 1
The Onondaga County Water Associations Potable water system Map shows the origin of Syracuse water. Syracuse draws its water from three sources, Skaneateles lake, Otisco Lake and the most recent addition of Lake Ontario with construction starting in 1999. Main Distribution lines from lake Ontario through pumping stations located as far as Jamesville’s Indian Hill Tank.
OCWA’s Annual Water quality report for 2013 indicates “approximately 36.13 million(M) gallons of water per day to 340,000 residential customers”.2
The water is treated as required by state law and will be discussed in further depth later.
The majority of the water OCWA treats comes from Lake Ontario; about 18M gallons or 50%, and is distributed as a first come, first serve basis along the pipeline. That is the Northern OCWA supply mainly goes to Northern county residents. Otisco lake water supply accounts for about 47% and is distributed to southern and western county residents. The city of Syracuse treats its own water through OCWA from Skaneateles lake at about 3% of the daily supply. Water treatment starts by protecting the source and controllking lake environments, enter Water Environment Protection of Onondaga County (WEP).
After transmission through city pipe lines and into your kitchens and bathrooms the water is sent through another system of pipelines that most people are more comfortable pretending do not exist, the sewer. There are rules and regulations that are supposed to be followed by all residents of the county that are actually quite extensive as to what can be processed through your drains. County pump stations are distributed as seen in the map at right which can be found at http://www.ongov.net/wep/we19.html
Over 33 billion gallons of waste water is processed each year by WEP utilizing mechanical equipment, pumps and chemical feed systems at eight treatment plants and several pump stations.3 A virtual tour of a waste treatment facility can be seen here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2FmNrEmowE and offers an in depth look at how waste water is separated from the solid particles flushed down the drain. Initial processing begins with what is known as the “Headworks” that removes large items so pumps and pipes can perform without damage and the waste is then distributed to landfills. This process is used to remove all inorganic materials before entering the treatment facility. Several tanks are used to remove different sized particles starting with the largest while the smaller organic particles stay suspended. The tank bottoms are raked out and waste removed. After the headworks the water moves into primary treatment that uses fine screens to remove smaller debris and thus solids from liquid so the water can be treated. The water is then treated using several separation methods and biological treatments, this water is later returned to the lakes and tributaries with nutrients that are beneficial for the environment. Ultra clean water is returned using ultra violet or chlorine (most common) treatments. This process and the treatment of potable water is another step in sustainable housing and saving the environment.
The Living Building Challenge is a building certification system that is in constant design increasing sustainability measures to function within its own bioregion.4 Here in New York State this certification requires a waiver due to state law requiring the treatment of all potable water sources with Chlorine however, water harvesting for many other purposes is readily used. One hundred percent of the building sites water use must be supplied by captured precipitation and treated in closed loop systems.
Methods of rain water harvesting, reclamation and on site treatment and reuse are available at
https://ilbi.org/education/Resources-Documents/Reports-Docs/WaterDocs/toward-net-zero-water-report and are generally decided on by idealistic designers. The potential use, or reuse of water in such a small treatment cycle may be another cause for alarm when considering, or not considering, the way water is used, or conserved.
Google earth video created (Needs Work) Converted to powerpoint.
Visited metro pump station from a far. Tours available upon request.
Building designed, water system needs put in and camera view taken.
New York State treats its water with fluoride for dental precautions.
E:\LexarSync\LexarSync\Spring'15\Eng Tech Write\Project\Charter of the City of Syracuse Consisting of Second Class Cities Law and ... - Google Books.html
1 Tweaver@syracuse.com, Teri Weaver |. "Cuomo to Syracuse: 'You Are Not Sustainable. You Need Jobs, an Economy, Business'" Syracuse.Com. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2015. <http://www.syracuse.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/02/cuomo_to_syracuse_bring_a_job_to_attract_jobs_then_fix_your_own_pipes.html>.
2 http://www.ocwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Page-6-7-Water-Sources-and-Treatment-2013.pdf; "2013 Annual Water Quality and Water Supply Statement." 2013 Annual Water Quality and Water Supply Statement. OCWA, n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2015.
3 "Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection."Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2015. <http://www.ongov.net/wep/we19.html>.
4 "Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection."Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2015. <http://www.ongov.net/wep/we19.html>.