Waste Control
Water Pollution Control Plant
In the early part of the 20th century, Frank Knapp and Edmund Reed were responsible for building the first sewer line in the village. On May 13, 1912, the Village Trustees granted them
permission to install a sewer line to service First Street from Maiden Lane (now Slocombe Ave.) north to Reed Avenue, and also Reed Avenue on which Reed was building new houses.
The sewer emptied into a septic tank, somewhere in the area behind Knapp’s home on Reed Street. The overflow was allowed to drain into a ditch to the north, through the Reed property, and into the creek near the Stone farm.
On April 14, 1919, the school board was granted permission by the village authorities to lay a sewer line from the High School down West Main Street to the Clark property at 17 West Main, across Clark’s land to South Street, and thence across South Street. About the same time Knapp, Horace Stone, and William Spaulding began to develop Bradley Street, so this line also serviced Bradley Street, and overflowed into an open ditch leading to the creek.
In the early part of the 20th century, Frank Knapp and Edmund Reed were responsible for building the first sewer line in the village. On May 13, 1912, the Village Trustees granted them
permission to install a sewer line to service First Street from Maiden Lane (now Slocombe Ave.) north to Reed Avenue, and also Reed Avenue on which Reed was building new houses.
The sewer emptied into a septic tank, somewhere in the area behind Knapp’s home on Reed Street. The overflow was allowed to drain into a ditch to the north, through the Reed property, and into the creek near the Stone farm.
On April 14, 1919, the school board was granted permission by the village authorities to lay a sewer line from the High School down West Main Street to the Clark property at 17 West Main, across Clark’s land to South Street, and thence across South Street. About the same time Knapp, Horace Stone, and William Spaulding began to develop Bradley Street, so this line also serviced Bradley Street, and overflowed into an open ditch leading to the creek.
Construction and Upgrading of Sanitary Sewer System
It was not until the late 1920s that there was much talk about constructing a sanitary sewer system for
the entire village. In the election of March 1931, the voters of the Village approved a bond of $75,000
for that purpose, by a vote of 107 to 76. Under the leadership of Mayor Michael J. Thornton, the Village
hired a contractor and began to prepare lines for the sewer system through private rights of way.
By the end of the 1930s, most of the Village residents had been ordered to hook onto the municipal
sewer system, one that drained into a septic tank (imhoff type) before eventually emptying into
Nine Mile Creek.
By the 1950’s, standards regulating the discharge of pollutants into state surface and ground waters
were being rewritten by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. In 1958, the
Village of Marcellus authorized the construction of additions to and reconstruction of its sanitary sewer
system to meet the standard of primary treatment (removal of solids from the waste water)
determined by the DEC. Construction of the Waste Water Pollution Control Plant would cost over
$100,000, part of which monies would be secured from a grant of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act.
It was not until the late 1920s that there was much talk about constructing a sanitary sewer system for
the entire village. In the election of March 1931, the voters of the Village approved a bond of $75,000
for that purpose, by a vote of 107 to 76. Under the leadership of Mayor Michael J. Thornton, the Village
hired a contractor and began to prepare lines for the sewer system through private rights of way.
By the end of the 1930s, most of the Village residents had been ordered to hook onto the municipal
sewer system, one that drained into a septic tank (imhoff type) before eventually emptying into
Nine Mile Creek.
By the 1950’s, standards regulating the discharge of pollutants into state surface and ground waters
were being rewritten by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. In 1958, the
Village of Marcellus authorized the construction of additions to and reconstruction of its sanitary sewer
system to meet the standard of primary treatment (removal of solids from the waste water)
determined by the DEC. Construction of the Waste Water Pollution Control Plant would cost over
$100,000, part of which monies would be secured from a grant of the Federal Water Pollution
Control Act.
In 1967, the Village would authorize an upgrade of the Marcellus Treatment Plant so as to provide
for secondary treatment (biological oxidation under controlled processes to further purify the water)
of sewage, bringing it in compliance with new standards determined by the State DEC.
This authorization would require the expenditure of over $300,000 and the plant, when completed
would have a 350,000 gallon capacity and would be able to serve about 3,500 people. Again,
Federal and New York State governments would provide funds would contribute about 60% of
the cost with local taxpayers picking up the balance.
By 1982, there was some concern among Village officials that connections to and the discharge
of water and wastes into the public sewer system were overwhelming the system. Corrective
measures were enacted, penalties were provided for violations and sewer rates were formalized
as a result. There was also a concern brought to the attention of the Board of Trustees that a
single property in the Village has never been connected to the Village sewer system and remained
on a septic system. To this day, that property remains the only one in the Village that still maintains
a septic system in the Village. In 1986, another major upgrade to the treatment plant witnessed the
addition of clarifier equipment, a project that cost over $80,000.
Most Recent Upgrade
In 1999, the Village of Marcellus began the single largest upgrade to its sewage treatment plant.
Having secured over $720,000 in Environmental Bond Act monies from the State of New York, the
Village completed a major adjustment in its treatment of sludge disposal by utilizing a belt
dewatering system. The Marcellus Sewage Treatment Plant, one of only four village systems in
the entire County of Onondaga, completed its upgrade in the summer of 2000, a total project cost
of $1.25 million. Its rehabilitation is more than adequate to meet the needs of another generation
of Village residents.
Sewer Fund
The Village’s primary means of financing the annual costs of owning and operating its sewer system
is through revenues derived via user charges and credited to the Sewer Fund. Should the revenues
not meet the expenditures required to own and operate the system, the Village must draw upon its
taxing and assessment authority and meet the balance through its General Fund.
for secondary treatment (biological oxidation under controlled processes to further purify the water)
of sewage, bringing it in compliance with new standards determined by the State DEC.
This authorization would require the expenditure of over $300,000 and the plant, when completed
would have a 350,000 gallon capacity and would be able to serve about 3,500 people. Again,
Federal and New York State governments would provide funds would contribute about 60% of
the cost with local taxpayers picking up the balance.
By 1982, there was some concern among Village officials that connections to and the discharge
of water and wastes into the public sewer system were overwhelming the system. Corrective
measures were enacted, penalties were provided for violations and sewer rates were formalized
as a result. There was also a concern brought to the attention of the Board of Trustees that a
single property in the Village has never been connected to the Village sewer system and remained
on a septic system. To this day, that property remains the only one in the Village that still maintains
a septic system in the Village. In 1986, another major upgrade to the treatment plant witnessed the
addition of clarifier equipment, a project that cost over $80,000.
Most Recent Upgrade
In 1999, the Village of Marcellus began the single largest upgrade to its sewage treatment plant.
Having secured over $720,000 in Environmental Bond Act monies from the State of New York, the
Village completed a major adjustment in its treatment of sludge disposal by utilizing a belt
dewatering system. The Marcellus Sewage Treatment Plant, one of only four village systems in
the entire County of Onondaga, completed its upgrade in the summer of 2000, a total project cost
of $1.25 million. Its rehabilitation is more than adequate to meet the needs of another generation
of Village residents.
Sewer Fund
The Village’s primary means of financing the annual costs of owning and operating its sewer system
is through revenues derived via user charges and credited to the Sewer Fund. Should the revenues
not meet the expenditures required to own and operate the system, the Village must draw upon its
taxing and assessment authority and meet the balance through its General Fund.