Buffalo Sewer Announces Completion Of Phase 1 Of $430 Million Bird Island Treatment Plant Upgrades
$60 million for phase 1 included restoration of 64 aeration tanks and underground infrastructure
BUFFALO, NEW YORK – Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan and officials from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) joined Buffalo Sewer Authority to announce the completion of the $60 million first phase of upgrades at Bird Island Wastewater Treatment plant.
The $430 million in infrastructure upgrades at the wastewater plant is part of the Queen City Clean Waters initiative. The work at Bird Island represents the largest investment in clean water infrastructure in Western New York in over forty years.
City of Buffalo Mayor Sean Ryan said, “Completing Phase One of the Bird Island Wastewater Treatment Facility is a major investment in Buffalo’s future and an important step toward protecting our waterways. We’ve been working hard to reconnect people to Buffalo’s waterfront, and a big part of that is making sure the water itself is clean and healthy. I want to thank Governor Hochul and New York State for their partnership, and for providing the funding that made this work possible. There is more work ahead, but this is real progress toward the Buffalo our residents deserve.”
Phase 1 included the restoration and rehabilitation of 64 aeration tanks which pump air and oxygen into wastewater to help aerobic bacteria break down harmful organic pollutants. The work also included the installation of new gates for each tank, attachment of diffusers to compressed air pipes at the bottom of the tanks to break airflow into tiny bubbles to transfer oxygen into the liquid and the installation of thousands of feet of above ground piping and 96-inch underground piping.
EFC President and CEO Maureen A. Coleman said, “Governor Hochul is making critical investments in Buffalo while helping protect ratepayers through EFC’s grant and low-cost financing programs. Grants covered more than half the cost of the project we’re celebrating today, while EFC’s low-cost financing is saving the City millions in interest payments. With another $137 million in the pipeline for additional projects, this larger State investment in Buffalo is delivering real savings, improving quality of life, and safeguarding the waterbodies our communities depend on.”
Work is already underway for phase 2 construction which includes upgrades to the plant’s physical treatment system to improve current flows and provide a new disinfection facility to improve the water quality of discharges into the Niagara River and other area waterways during larger wet weather events. Phase 3 will further expand the plant’s biological system to handle more flow during wet weather. All three phases of the project are expected to be completed in 2034.
The $430 million project is being supported through various funding sources provided through New York State and the federal government. The first two phases are being funded entirely through grants and low-interest loans and BSA will pursue for the third phase to ensure an equitable cost burden for the people of the City of Buffalo.
“The completion of phase 1 at Bird Island is a significant milestone achieved under the auspices of the Queen City Clean Waters initiative and the long term control plan,” said Rosaleen Nogle Principal Sanitary Engineer, Buffalo Sewer said. “We are so fortunate to have great partners in Mayor Ryan, Commissioner Lefton and President Coleman who realize the significance of this investment in our community for this important work to reduce combined sewer overflows into our area waterways.”