LIBERTY — With the Swan Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) reaching its end, and violations highlighted in a recent letter from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Town Board voted 4-1 on three resolutions in the push to forward the initiative.   

Their plan moving forward, which was discussed last Thursday between the board and consultant Delaware Engineering’s Principal Engineer, David Ohman P.E., was determined to consist of two separate resolutions, in addition to a response to the DEC’s recent letter addressing the violations and providing answers to the issues.

One resolution locked in the plan to expend $40 million on the Swan Lake Water and Sewer District’s WWTP, with an estimated gallons per day (GPD) of 0.960. The second resolution ensured that Swan Lake’s sewer and water district taxpayers would only burden the financing of $15 million, rather than the full $40 million that the project is estimated to cost. A third resolution, which had a similar outcome in the vote from the Town Board, set the ground rules for the use of bonds within the project. 

Following this plan, the rest of the price tag is to be covered by various external grants. Delaware Engineering has already confirmed their eligibility for over $11.4 million in Federal and State grants and a $6.6 million BIL loan with zero percent interest, with hopes of acquiring more in the near future. If more funding should not come to fruition, the town said they would have to seek another alternative to replacing the aging plant.

Town Supervisor Frank DeMayo clarified that this would solidify a maximum tax increase for district users by 35 percent. He expressed that this figure is subject to change as the town will continue to look into more funding opportunities. 

“This has been a very complicated exercise,” Supervisor DeMayo said. “I want to extend my thanks to the public [for their feedback during the public comment period] – we did hear you and we continue to hear you.” 

“We are going to do the best we can to bring down the cost of this plant, whether it is through grants, or through other means,” the Supervisor continued.

Liberty Town Board member Vincent McPhillips was the only one on the board to vote against all resolutions presented regarding the plant, resulting in all passing 4-1.

“It was a lot of work, and a lot of residents from Swan Lake stressed to the whole board their concerns about the sewer plant, and even though we knew the plant had to get some type of fix,” McPhillips said, “I am still very disappointed with the $40 million bond resolution.”

Why replace the WWTP now?

The Wastewater Treatment Plant, or WWTP, located at 120 Willow Lane in Liberty on the border next to Bethel, has reached the end of its useful lifetime of 35-40 years, according to Delaware Engineering. In addition to its age, the plant was estimated by the consultants to lack capacity to satisfy long-term district needs, as well as its failure in addressing several operations and maintenance (O&M) and regulatory compliance standards.

While the replacement process has been on the mind of the board for the past few years, a letter from the DEC put their decision under the gun with a response detailing their steps to immediate compliance expected by February 14. This letter struck the WWTP with four violations, each punishable with a $37,500 per day, per violation. 

Should the town board stay on track with the plan to build the new WWTP, the Town Supervisor estimated the process would take up to three years for it all to be fully operational. 

However, they still have to deal with the violations in the meantime, with a number of proposed solutions being drafted into the response to the DEC.