Syracuse, N.Y. — Voluntary water conservation has been lifted for Central New Yorkers after OCWA completed repairs to a major transmission main that ruptured last month.
The rupture occurred on Dec. 20 and cut off water to 27,000 customers.
The large-diameter pipe has now been repaired with newly installed replacement sections, OCWA said Thursday night.
The Eastern Reservoir, which serves the affected communities, has been refilled to normal levels. Customers can return to regular water use, the agency said.
The voluntary conservation request had been in effect for customers in:
Town of DeWitt, including the village of East Syracuse and DeWitt water system customersTown of Manlius, including the villages of Minoa, Fayetteville and ManliusTown of PompeyTown of Lenox, including the village of CanastotaTown of LincolnTown of Sullivan, including the village of Chittenango
Since the rupture, residents and businesses was asked to reduce water use while the agency rerouted water from other systems, drawing from as far away as Oneida to keep taps flowing.
Jeff Brown, OCWA’s executive director, said there is no firm estimate for the total cost of repairs, but it is expected to be “in the millions.” The agency’s $5 million reserve fund is expected to cover the expense, he said last week.
OCWA has been dealing with leaks in the same area since summer. A valve off the main transmission line leaked and was repaired in August. In November, a leak was discovered in the main pipe about 30 feet from that earlier repair. Brown previously said the two issues were unrelated.
The November leak was fixed, but two additional leaks developed nearby in December. Temporary repairs failed, prompting the authority to shut down the pipe on Dec. 20 to complete a more extensive repair.