OLCOTT — The Town of Newfane is working toward a temporary fix for a broken sewer main that’s discharging untreated wastewater into Olcott Harbor.
The break in a 12-inch forced main from Pump Station 6 occurred about 10 a.m. Tuesday. The town’s engineer and the state Department of Environmental Conservation were notified immediately, town supervisor John Syracuse said, and the engineer has devised a bypass that could be in place as soon as next Tuesday.
The current rate of wastewater discharge into Lake Ontario is 150 gallons per minute. Potentially affected public areas include the fishing area and the boat launch at the town marina. Syracuse said the town is reporting the discharge rate to DEC on a daily basis and working to stop the leakage as soon as possible.
A bypass will be utilized until crews are able to access the portion of the sewer main that needs repair. The leak is underground, underneath a parking lot near the pump station at 5848 E. Main St.
Cerrone Construction has already identified and dug an area for the bypass. Syracuse said the town is waiting on one part that won’t be received until Monday, then installation of the bypass can get underway.
There is no way to treat / disinfect the harbor, according to Syracuse, but because the leak is underground, soil is filtering the wastewater and what’s coming up is “dirty water,” no fecal matter or other solids.
“These are extremely serious events (and) I want to assure the public, we are following all of the protocols in place,” the supervisor said.
It’s looking like the town will be able to reallocate some unspent REDI (Lake Ontario Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative) grant funding for stabilization of Pump Station 6, Syracuse added.
“There is a plan to repair/replace Pump Station 6. Unfortunately, it got to us before we got to it.”