BUFFALO SEWER AUTHORITY CELEBRATES 90TH ANNIVERSARY WITH EAST DELAVAN SEWER IMPROVEMENT PROJECT GROUNDBREAKING

$100 million project will build new underground facilities to store rainwater and sewage

The Buffalo Sewer Authority (BSA), elected officials, and community stakeholders gathered near the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Florida Street today to celebrate the Buffalo Sewer Authority’s 90th anniversary and the groundbreaking for the first phase of the East Delavan Sewer Improvement Project.

The East Delavan Sewer Improvement Project is a $100 million infrastructure investment that will be constructed in three phases over the next several years. The project will upgrade the sewer collection system along East Delavan Avenue, Florida Street, and Spillman Place to control combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharges to Scajaquada Creek and other downstream water bodies such as Hoyt Lake and Black Rock Canal.

“This project and the Queen City Clean Waters Initiative align with the goals of my administration of creating equitable and inclusive processes that deliver public health and economic benefits to all city of Buffalo residents especially underserved communities that have been negatively affected by increased rainstorms and snowmelt,” said City of Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon. “Today’s event commemorates the hard work and dedication of Buffalo Sewer for the past 90 years. Their continued support and investment in our wastewater infrastructure has modernized and will continue to transform neighborhoods throughout the city of Buffalo.”

Celebrating 90 years, the Buffalo Sewer Authority was created by an act of the New York State Legislature in the spring of 1935 and delegated the responsibility for providing an effectual means of relieving the Niagara River and other waterways from pollution by sewage and waste.

“Buffalo Sewer continues to fulfill our 90-year mission to protect public health, safety, and the environment. The investment we are making in the Masten District and throughout the city of Buffalo through the Queen City Clean Waters Initiative will mitigate the negative effects that combined sewer overflows have on local residents and communities,” stated Rosaleen Nogle, PE, BCEE, BC WRE Principal Sanitary Engineer, Buffalo Sewer.

The East Delavan Sewer Improvement Project is part of the Queen City Clean Waters Initiative, a $1 billion undertaking over the next 15 years to improve the health and safety of local waterways, including the Scajaquada Creek, Erie Basin Marina, Black Rock Canal, Cazenovia Creek, and the Buffalo River. The initiative will include infrastructure enhancements at 50+ sites across the city, including $250 million in upgrades at the Bird Island Wastewater Treatment Facility.

Collectively, the Buffalo Sewer collection system covers 110 miles across Western New York including the city of Buffalo, and parts of the towns of Alden, Cheektowaga, Elma, Lancaster, Tonawanda, and West Seneca and the Villages of Depew, Lancaster and Sloan. Today, BSA treats the wastewater of approximately 550,000 residents in the city of Buffalo and surrounding communities.

“Operating the second largest wastewater treatment plant in New York State means we must continue to protect our waterways from pollution and mitigate the occurrence of combined sewer overflows,” said Buffalo Sewer Authority Chairman Herbert L. Bellamy, Jr. “The investment being made on East Delavan and across our collection system through the Queen City Clean Waters Initiative will allow BSA to continue our mission for another 90 years.”

Phase One of the East Delavan Sewer Improvement Project aims to reduce the number and volume of combined sewer overflows, preventing sewage from backing up into buildings or flooding streets during wet weather events and improve water quality in surrounding waterways. In addition to important public health benefits, BSA will be collaborating with local workforce programs to create career opportunities for local residents.

“The Queen City Clean Waters Initiative and the East Delavan Sewer Improvement Project are positive steps in the redevelopment of the Masten district, creating a better place to live, work and recreate,” said City of Buffalo Masten District Council Member Zeneta Everhart. “An essential component of these projects is the participation of the public and key stakeholders of our district that will revitalize our community.”

The Queen City Clean Waters Initiative includes a collaborative stakeholder engagement process that will be overseen by a Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) in addition to community specific advisory groups such as the East Delavan Advisory Committee.

The East Delavan Advisory Committee will oversee and be responsible for community engagement for the three phases of the East Delavan Sewer Improvement Project. Please visit https://buffalosewer. org/east-delavan-sewer project-community-survey/ to participate in a survey that will provide feedback and opinions on the East Delavan project to reflect the priorities of the community.

To learn more about the East Delavan Sewer Improvement Project and Queen City Clean Waters Initiative, please visit https://buffalosewer. org/construction-projects/ queen-city-clean-waters/eastdelavansewer/.