The federal funding received for Phase 2 of the South & Center Chautauqua Lake Sewer Districts meant that some of the ARPA funds designated for it could be used for other projects.

Also, the County canceled two other ARPA funded projects involving purchasing deterra pouches and a paving project at the Emergency Services Center for a drive-through public health clinic.

Resolutions for new ARPA funding to be voted on tonight include $4 million for Phase 2 of Shovel Ready Sites. The resolution states that the $1.4 million in ARPA funding for Phase 1 and from other sources fell well short of what is necessary to cover the cost of a large site.

The Legislature also will consider using $880,000 to purchase a Landfill Trailer. The resolution states that using ARP funds will “reduce the financial burden on the Landfill Equipment Capital account, allowing for the purchase of additional machinery to support daily Landfill operations.”

Another $500,000 in ARP funds is proposed to be used to upgrade the Sherman Shop Fuel System. The resolution states the fuel system in Sherman is need of upgrades and below grade fuel tanks are nearing the end of their life expectancy

Other ARPA-funded resolutions include $210,000 for a Waterways Master Plan project to evaluate the Marden Cobb waterways as well as $100,000 to repair trail sections and bridges on the Overland Trail at Harris Hill.

The County Legislature also will vote to designate $20,000 in Occupancy Tax Program monies toward the installation of a drainage system on Wright Park Drive in Dunkirk.

Under motions for consideration, the Legislature will vote on calling on New York State to continue passing on Enhanced Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage Funds to counties, a motion urging New York State to approve a new Brooks Hospital, as well as a motion urging New York State to support natural gas.

The County Legislature meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Legislative Chambers of the Gerace Office Building in Mayville. It is open to the public and also will be livestreamed on https://www.youtube.com/@ChautauquaCounty

Map showing expansion of South Chautauqua Lake Sewer District

Phase Two of the Westside Sewer Extension project has been awarded $6 million in Water Infrastructure Improvement Grants from New York State.

The funding is coming from the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation and is part of $300 million announced by Governor Kathy Hochul for water infrastructure improvements across the state.

The South and Center Chautauqua Lake Sewer Districts approved the second phase of the project in June with the maximum cost of it being $24 million.

Construction of Phase 1 of the project started in 2021 and will extend the district to the Hamlet of Stow. It is anticipated to be complete in 2023.

Phase 2 will extend the Districts from the Hamlet of Stow to the North Chautauqua Lake Sewer District border, near Prendergast Creek.

The Phase 2 Extension will be comprised of properties on the western shore of the Lake in the Towns of North Harmony and Chautauqua, generally along New York State Route 394. The wastewater collection and conveyance facilities will extend the public sewer and provide direct benefit to the estimated 350 developed parcels. The area is currently serviced by private septic systems and individually maintained by the corresponding property owner.

Also receiving $4.02 million in State Environmental Facilities Corporation grant funds is the town of Chautauqua for the Chautauqua Water District No. 2 Water Supply. Chautauqua is also receiving a $50,000 engineering planning grant for the extension of South Sewer District No. 1.

The Town of Chautauqua is also receiving over $1.8 million in interest-free financing from the Environmental Facilities Corporation Board to decommission the Chautauqua Heights Sewer District Treatment Plant. The town will also construct a pump station and force main.

Other municipalities receiving engineering planning grants include the town of Hanover with $36,000 for the Route 5 & 20 Sewer Line Engineering Planning Study; the town of Pomfret receiving $30,000 for a Public Sewer System Extension Study, and the Village of Westfield will receive $40,000 for an Engineering Planning Grant.

A new Grinder Pump installation in Phase 1 area.

Phase 2 of the Westside Sewer Extension project has been approved.

The South and Center Chautauqua Lake Sewer Districts’ Board of Directors approved the map and plan report at its March meeting with the maximum amount to be spent on the project being $24 million.

The South and Center Chautauqua Lake Sewer Districts (SCCLSD) initiated the construction of Phase 1 of the project in 2021. Phase 1 would extend the district to the Hamlet of Stow and it is anticipated to be complete in 2023. Phase 2 is ready to be initiated which will extend the Districts from the Hamlet of Stow to the North Chautauqua Lake Sewer District border, near Prendergast Creek.

Board member and County Legislature Chairman Pierre Chagnon said the Westside Sewer Extension Phase 2 will complete the public sewers on the entire west side of Chautauqua Lake and is another milestone towards this end.

The Phase 2 Extension will be comprised of properties on the western shore of the Lake in the Towns of North Harmony and Chautauqua, generally along New York State Route 394. The proposed wastewater collection and conveyance facilities will extend the public sewer and provide direct benefit to the estimated 350 developed parcels. The area is currently serviced by private septic systems and individually maintained by the corresponding property owner.

Many of these systems are failing or reaching the end of their useful life. These failing systems are a contributor to elevated phosphorus levels within Chautauqua Lake and private water well contamination.

The proposed improvements include the construction of a new low-pressure force main sewer system with approximately 250 grinder-pumping stations. Each developed parcel will be served by a grinder pumping station that connects to the sewer main located along the road of each property. All sanitary waste from each developed parcel would then be pumped to the Wastewater Treatment Facility, located in Celoron. Following the installation and connection to the grinder pumping station, the septic system would then be cleaned and decommissioned.

The proposed Phase 2 project is eligible for State and Federal grant monies including New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Water Quality Improvements Project (WQIP) and New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC)’s Water Infrastructure Act (WIIA) funding. The County would be eligible to apply for a 30-year, interest-free loan through EFC’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund program. The financial aid of these funding agencies will ensure that the Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU) cost does not exceed $1,000 per year.

The West Side Sewer Extension Project will provide public sewers to a portion of the unsewered properties on the west side of Chautauqua Lake along the Route 394 corridor up through Stow, to service approximately 450 developed properties in the Town of North Harmony.

This $16.9 million project will be financed through a combination of funding from grants and a zero-interest loan from the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund.

Once established, the estimated user cost will not exceed $1,000 per year/30 years per equivalent dwelling unit (EDU), or properties with single family dwelling water usage, and $100 per year for vacant parcels. The annual EDU charge does not include private property lateral or interior plumbing improvements to connect to the system or the permit fees to the SCCLSD.  Each user is responsible to pay the cost to install a sewer line from their dwelling to the property line or to a grinder pumping station installed near the right-of-way.

The municipal sewer extension will offer service to an area that is currently utilizing private septic systems. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) completed a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) phosphorus allocation for Chautauqua Lake in 2012, which identified private septic systems within close proximity to the lake as a source of phosphorus loading. Low-pressure grinder pumps will take the place of septic systems and convey the wastewater through a network of pipes and pumping stations to the SCCLSD Wastewater Treatment Facility located in Celoron, N.Y.

Following the approval of the BODR, GHD Engineering has begun work on the plans and specifications for the construction of the extension.  The plans and specifications will be sent to regulatory agencies in the fall of 2020 for review.  Upon approval by the regulatory agencies, the project will then be advertised for solicitation of construction bids. The bids will be reviewed and awarded to the lowest responsible bidder. Estimated construction of the Sewer Extension will take approximately two years beginning the spring of 2021.

The SCCLSD invites you to visit its website where you can view the Basis of Design Report along with an informative video providing an overview of the project.

 .

 The North Chautauqua County Water District received $3 million through the drinking water grant of the WIIA for its North Chautauqua County Regional Water Project.

The project, which is estimated to cost $6 million, would provide a transmission main in the Town of Sheridan and a water storage tank in the Town of Dunkirk to benefit the District and allow for an interconnection with the Village of Fredonia.

The South and Center Chautauqua Lake Sewer Districts also received $2,972,000 through the clean water grant for its West Side Sewer Extension Phase 1 project.

This project, which is estimated to cost over $11 million, would provide public sewers to a portion of the unsewered west side of Chautauqua Lake in the Town of North Harmony.

By removing all septic systems in the area and providing a public collection system, this project would reduce the amount of nutrients entering Chautauqua Lake and address cyanotoxins associated with harmful algal blooms.

The recent awards for Chautauqua County were among over $270 million in grants that were awarded to projects across New York State.