Wastewater Master Plan Information
Background
In February 2003, the City of Olean (City) entered an Order on Consent with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) for State Pollution Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit violations that occurred at the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) from January 1998 through February 2000. The violations occurred due to excessive wet weather flows and included excursions for settleable solids, total suspended solids (TSS) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).
The Order on Consent established Action Items and a Schedule of Compliance. These Action Items included submittal and implementation of a sewer system assessment plan to address collection system monitoring and maintenance as well as enforcement of the City’s existing Sewer Use Ordinance (SUO), pump station assessments, and a wet weather operating plan. It was determined that these Action Items were insufficient to meet SPDES permit compliance. As a result, the City was required to submit an Engineering Report and schedule for additional remediation work to achieve compliance. The 2005 Final Draft Master Plan (Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., 2005) was developed to fulfill this requirement by establishing goals, actions and projected outcomes of six major program elements:
- Treatment Plant Improvements
- Interceptor Improvements
- Pump Station Improvements
- Sanitary Sewer System Asset Management
- Storm Sewer Asset Management
- Sewer Use Ordinance Enforcement
Wastewater Master Plan Final Draft
Mayor's Press Release 4/16/2025 - Citywide Stormwater Basin Testing Underway
2025-07-09
Project Update: I/I and Bypass Issues
The DEC is currently interviewing engineering firms in connection with the I/I and bypass issues related to the $500,000 grant award.
Sewer Maintenance is in the process of scheduling the following work based on the testing results.
Below is our assessment of what can be done at each location:
W. Ohio & York St.: This can likely be completed in-house by reconnecting the basins to the existing storm line nearby.
S. 18th St.: Will require an outside contractor to install approximately 600 feet of storm line to Henley St. Elevations need to be confirmed to ensure proper slope.
Dead End of N. 2nd St.: Will require an outside contractor for approximately 450 feet of storm line to Sullivan St. Elevation verification is needed to confirm adequate fall.
121 N. 2nd St.: Approximately 400 feet of storm line to W. State St. will be needed. This work will require an outside contractor, and elevations must be verified for proper drainage.
1st & Henley St.: This can likely be done in-house by reconnecting the basins to the storm line.
Monroe Terrace: Can likely be completed in-house by reconnecting approximately 200 feet of storm line to the York St. line.
River St. & E. Pine St.: Will require an outside contractor to install approximately 300 feet of storm line to Oak St. Elevation checks are needed to confirm feasibility. There may also be an option to connect to the filtration plant’s storm system.
Next Task Force Meeting
The next I/I Task Force meeting with the Seneca Nation is tentatively scheduled for Monday, July 22 at 9:00 AM.
2025-06-19
City Property Inspections
Over the past four months, the Code Enforcement Office (Codes) has completed 104 property inspections in order to issue Certificates of Occupancy. Illegal downspout connections are included in these inspections. To date Codes has discovered one sump pump connected to the sanitary sewer. The owner disconnected it. Codes has not discovered any illegal downspout connections.
2025-06-05
Allegheny River Task Force meeting was held at the Waste Water Treatment Plant. Informational Tour of the Lab and facility. Tour of the S. 4th Street Pump Station. Information and understanding of the operation of the plant and the pump station was shared with Seneca Nation.
The next meeting scheduled in July.
2025-05-27
Meeting held with DEC Officials in reference to our Consent Order.
Update on Catch Basins Testing
Below is the assessment of what can be done with areas found during the testing:
- West Ohio and York Street: should be able to do this in house by reconnecting the basins into the nearby storm line.
- South Eighteenth Street: will need an outside contractor to do approx. 600 ft. of storm line to Henley St. Elevations will have to be checked to see if correct fall can be achieved.
- The dead end of North Second Street: will need an outside contractor to do approx. 450 ft. of storm line to Sullivan St. Elevations will have to be checked to see if correct fall can be achieved.
- 121 North Second Street: will need an outside contractor to do approx. 400 ft. of storm line to W. State St. Elevations will have to be checked to see if correct fall can be achieved.
- First and Henley Street: should be able to do in house by reconnecting the basins to the storm line.
- Monroe Terrace: should be able to do in house by reconnecting about 200 ft. of storm line in York St line.
- River Street and East Pine Street: will need an outside contractor to do approx. 300 ft. of storm line to Oak St. Elevations will have to be checked to see if correct fall can be achieved.
2025-05-15
Allegheny River Task force conducted a Zoom meeting. The discussion centered on comments the Seneca Nation received from DEC Officials during their visit to state officials in Albany as well as the Nation’s concerns about the discharges into the river.