City of Oneida, NY

The City of Oneida in New York State found itself in a quandary: with regional growth over the past two decades, its wastewater treatment plant had begun receiving flows in excess of its permitted capacity. Built in 1963, and upgraded in 1982, the plant was permitted to receive an average flow of 2.5 million gallons of wastewater per day. But thanks to an expanding community, the plant was receiving more than 3 million gallons per day, pushing it significantly over capacity. As a result, the City faced a costly upgrade to meet the State Pollution Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) limits, and they were facing a State consent order.  Looking for an innovative solution, the City turned to O’Brien&Gere. 

The consent order was only part of the problem. The City paid more than $300,000 annually to cover its electricity costs for the plant. With electric rates on the rise, the plant operator looked to O’Brien&Gere to not only upgrade the plant, but also to develop an overall energy strategy. The facility’s equipment was outdated and inefficient, which accounted for excessive energy usage. 

The City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant was designed to treat domestic wastewater, industrial wastewater, and septage, and features a liquid treatment system (for screening, pumping, clarification, biological treatment, nitrification, and chlorine disinfection) as well as sludge handling facilities. The plant serves the City of Oneida, adjacent municipalities, numerous industrial users (such as HP Hood), and the Oneida Indian Nation, including its highly successful casino resort — The Turning Stone.