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As the Lansing Sewer Committee continues to work toward its first public information meeting on August 8th, members continue to work on lowering the cost per Equivalent Dwelling unit (EDU).  Wednesday TC Miller Engineer David Herrick presented a plan for a sewer district extension that could add units that may share the cost of the project, lowering the cost for everyone in the district.  The extension revolves around the Cayuga Farms project on Triphammer Road, which has been held up for years while its developers try to find a viable waste water solution that would allow the density of development they need for the 138 condominium town house project.

Developers have explored every possible solution including routing a trunk line south on Triphammer Road to the Cayuga Heights Treatment Plant, running a trunk line east to join with the Warren Road sewer, and stand-alone on-site treatment.  None of the municipal solutions worked out so they were prepared to commit to an on-site treatment approach, but have expressed keen interest in hooking up to the new municipal sewer if it becomes available. Sewer Committee members and town officials are now negotiating with the developers to pay for infrastructure to hook into the new $10.2 million South Lansing project if it passes in a referendum later this year.

Herrick showed a possible scenario in which sewer could be routed along East Shore Drive to hook up to the new trunk line at or near the intersection of East Shore and Ridge Road.  The extension has the possibility of adding 44 EDUs to the sewer project on Atwater and East Shore Drives.

The projected cost of the sewer district extension is more than Cayuga Farms would spend on on-site treatment, but may be a good option for them for two reasons: first, they would also have annual expenses maintaining their system including paying a certified engineer, and second because the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is unlikely to approve a stand-alone solution when a municipal sewer is so close.


If developers who require sewer pay for the infrastructure in the extension it could lower costs for all residents and businesses within the new sewer district.  The extended district would add the 44 existing EDUs in the northern portion of East Shore Drive as well as the 198 EDUs in the two proposed developments.  That would mean more properties sharing the cost of the sewer construction without raising the total cost to the Town to build it.

A smaller development is also planned west of Cayuga Farms.  If the committee decides to include residences and businesses along the route 44 EDUs would be added to the 198 proposed by developers.  It was this second development that prompted Herrick to consider the East Shore Drive route, but he said it could still be served if the line goes along North Triphammer Road instead.

Herrick said the cost of bringing the sewer along East Shore Drive would be approximately the same as running it north on Triphammer Road, but constructing it on East Shore Drive would only require one pump station to service a forced main that would begin a little north of East Shore Circle and meet a gravity sewer line near Drake Road that would traverse the rest of the way to connect to the main line on Ridge Road (34B).

Committee member Andy Sciarabba asked Herrick to come up with the cost of the Triphammer route before a meeting with the Cayuga Farms developers early next week.

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