Town of Newfane officials say about 150 gallons per minute has been flowing into a creek for days as crews prepare emergency repairs
OLCOTT, N.Y. — A broken sewer main in Olcott has been sending sewage water into Olcott Harbor for several days, raising concerns among residents, business owners and local officials.
Town officials say the 12-inch sewer main broke Tuesday morning in a parking lot owned by Jim McDonough, allowing wastewater to flow into a nearby creek that feeds the harbor.
“It’s coming down the parking lot, under the building, and gushing out into the creek. You can see the water now,” he said.
Town of Newfane Supervisor John Syracuse said highway and sewer department employees discovered the break around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday while making routine rounds through the community. Officials immediately notified the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and began following required reporting protocols.
“We’ve been evaluating that, and we’ve called out an emergency crew to help us with that,” Syracuse said.
According to Syracuse, about 150 gallons of water per minute has been flowing through the damaged pipe and into the creek for days. The town’s wastewater plant operator has been filing daily reports with the state while crews prepare for repairs and wait for parts to come in.
The area around the break has been marked off because the ground has become unstable from the constant water flow.
“It’s quite spongy there as well. So we don’t want anybody down in that area,” said Syracuse.
Beyond the immediate damage to the parking lot, McDonough worries about the potential impact on a popular fishing location nearby.
“One of the greatest fishing areas in the world,” he said.
Syracuse acknowledged the environmental concerns but said the town is following state guidelines for handling the discharge.
“I think anytime you have, you know, raw sewage being discharged untreated somewhere, it’s a concern, you know, but, but we assure people that we are following the protocols ” he said.
The McDonough family had been renovating the property before the break occurred. The ongoing flow of sewage water has slowed that work and created structural issues.
“Well, now that’s going to slow us down,” McDonough said.
He said the ground beneath part of the building has shifted because of the water.
“It’s dropped six inches now, so or six to six to 10 inches, it’s dropped and like I say this last week, it’s gone around two inches at the base,” he said.
Syracuse said an emergency repair crew has been scheduled to address the problem.
Officials say the town is continuing to monitor the situation while awaiting a necessary part needed to complete the repair. Syracuse said crews expect to begin work as soon as the equipment arrives and conditions allow.