By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
OLEAN — A member of the Seneca Nation and founder of Defend Ohi:yo’ asked Olean aldermen what they were prepared to do to prevent future discharge of raw sewage into the Allegheny River.
Degawenodas, who lives on the banks of the river, said Tuesday he has been waiting patiently to see how the city remediates problems caused by negligence that lead to the discharges.
“This is the first visit on this issue,” he said. “It has gone on for too long. I may appear to be angry, upset” but that is because of my passion for the river the Senecas long ago named Ohi:yo’.
Degawenodas, a member of the Wolf Clan, said he was there to defend water, and offered his help to the city.
Degawenodas said he planned to paddle on the river through the city on June 20, the Summer Solstice “to shed light on the situation.”
He invited Mayor Bill Aiello and the aldermen to participate, and said he planned to issue a press release and invite the media.
During the Common Council’s public comment session, Degawenodas followed Glenn Wahl of Salamanca, who also spoke about the city’s discharge of raw sewage into the river.
Wahl, who is a member of two environmental groups, Cattaraugus County Concerned Citizens and Defend Ohi:yo’, said he has been studying the discharges, which total nearly 1 million gallons over the past six years.
The most recent discharges occurred in April after heavy rains when stormwater drains into sanitary sewers and overpowers pumps causing an overflow and discharge into the river.
Wahl said he’s spoken about the problem with Brad Camp, director of the city Sewer and Water departments. He highlighted the city’s options to prevent further discharges.
Technical solutions would involve better pumps or redundant pumps, holding tanks for the overflow or enforcing restrictions on roof drains that empty into sanitary sewers, Wahl said.
This would come at little cost to the city over enforcement. The cost to disconnect roof drains from sanitary sewers would be borne by homeowners and businesses. Much of the city’s efforts to stem the discharges have been aimed at relining leaky pipes.
“The Seneca Nation also expects you to stop these discharges,” Wahl said.
During Tuesday’s Council meeting, aldermen voted 5-1 to approve a bid of $2,954,055 from Millennium Construction of Niagara Falls for the South Union Union Street Project including a roundabout at South Union and Greene streets.
Alderman David Anastasia, D-Ward 7, voted against awarding the bid. Alderman Jennifer Forney, R-Ward 3, was absent.
The aldermen also voted to add $309,500 for inspection services to the bid of Clark Patterson Lee, the city’s engineering firm on the project. Initially, the city has hoped to do its own construction inspection.
Common Council President John Crawford, D-Ward 5, noted the project’s construction would nearly all be paid for from a state Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant. The city expects to issue a bond to cover the inspection costs until they are reimbursed by the state.
Aldermen voted unanimously to place an amendment to the city Code of Ordinances to require that city park restrooms be open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily from May 1-Oct. 1. On the June 11 Council agenda for a vote.
Aldermen authorized the mayor to sign a contract with Cattaraugus County for mosquito spraying services should it become necessary. Aiello said if a decision is made to spray, it will cost the city about $15,000.
