While constant maintenance and upkeep is ongoing, renovations to maintain pace with ever changing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules and regulations are also ongoing. Through out the tour Jim pointed out concerns requiring upkeep and methods these issues would be remedied with. The costs of required maintenance and renovations are said to cost tax payers one to two dollars per one thousand gallons of water on average. A rolling monthly average is used to determine what capacity the plant needs to run at. Metro treats about 2 million (M) gallons (G) per day while the plant is rated at 84 MG’s per month (84MG/30days = 2.8MG), allowing a variance of approximately 0.8MG of water to be treated on any given day. This is important because Syracuse has a combined sewer system, meaning that both rain runoff and community waste is transported through the same sewer system.

This practice was eliminated in 1972 when the Clean Water Act was put into place. The law required aging combined systems to be separated creating a major cost issue as streets would require be torn up and basically the cities entire infrastructure being redeveloped. As most large cities face similar cost restraints certain allowances have been made for these municipalities to continue operating with added control. While Metro is the cities largest treatment plant, there are 6 other pump stations located around the city of Syracuse with 2 of the plants having the ability to treat and release water when rain runoff levels exceed limits. These smaller facilities remove large debris from the sewage system such as childrens toys that may have been flushed, paper and hygiene waste as well as tires, and any other debris you can think of that you might find lying on city streets. Through use of storage tanks and screening (Sieve’s) excess water is stored, treated with Chlorine and released into the local tributaries, specifically the Great Lakes Water shed district. These procedures are only used at times of heavy rains when capacities exceed what can be treated on a daily bases. Reservoirs at these sites initially allow water to be stored until the rain stops and it can be handled at Metro. The greatest attempt possible to not treat and release is made however, there are those occasions when capacities are just uncontrollable.