The Canandaigua City Council’s Environmental Committee spent much of its March 2 meeting focused on aging infrastructure, hearing new details about costly needs at the city’s water resource recovery facility while also reviewing the annual stormwater management program and a proposed renewal of the Canandaigua Sailboard license agreement.
The meeting’s most substantial discussion centered on two engineering studies prepared by Larson Design Group for the city’s wastewater treatment operations. Committee members were told the reports tie directly to Canandaigua’s strategic plan and outline significant challenges involving inflow and infiltration in the sewer system, deteriorating primary clarifiers and broader long-term needs at the treatment plant.
Engineers outline sewer inflow problem and plant costs
Engineer Ethan Bodnaruk told the committee that inflow, not infiltration, appears to be the city’s larger problem when it comes to excess water reaching the wastewater treatment plant. Based on the desktop analysis, infiltration accounted for about 2.5% to 7.5% of annual flow, while inflow accounted for roughly 35% to 50%, suggesting that stormwater and groundwater are entering the sanitary system through improper connections at a much higher rate than through pipe defects alone.
The study found that while some older pipes still need evaluation and likely replacement, the more pressing issue is identifying where clean water is entering the sanitary sewer system and overwhelming plant capacity during wet weather events. Engineers recommended targeted metering and additional investigation to better pinpoint those sources before a larger design and replacement effort moves forward.
Bodnaruk said rehabilitating targeted city sewer lines with trenchless methods could cost about $1.2 million, while full replacement would be closer to $7 million. The broader recommended effort, including investigations and metering, was described as costing just under $3 million.
The engineer also presented findings on the city’s primary clarifiers, describing them as being in poor condition and in need of replacement. He said the preferred upgrade would use a chain-and-flight system and estimated the cost of those improvements at about $15.5 million in 2030 dollars, with additional sludge thickener work projected at about $5.5 million.
City officials said those projects are only part of a much larger picture. During committee discussion, City Manager John Goodwin said the plant as a whole may require roughly $55 million in upgrades, with much of the infrastructure dating back to the 1970s. He said the city is working with Ontario County on cost-sharing and broader planning, while also pursuing state and federal funding to reduce the burden on local ratepayers.
Officials discuss county’s role in future wastewater planning
The engineering presentation sparked a wider policy discussion about whether the city should continue leading long-term wastewater treatment planning for a system that also serves growth outside city limits.
Council members raised questions about whether Ontario County should take a larger role in overseeing wastewater infrastructure in the future, particularly as development pressures increase beyond city boundaries. City staff said those conversations are already part of a broader review of the existing intermunicipal agreement with the county, but stressed that the Canandaigua facility remains the logical site for treatment because the system is already built around it.
Committee members also emphasized the need to better communicate the scale of upcoming infrastructure costs to the public, noting that decisions made in the next several years will have long-term implications for the city and surrounding municipalities.
Stormwater plan enters annual review period
The committee also heard from MS4 Coordinator Peter Virkler, who announced the start of the city’s annual stormwater management plan revision process and opened a 30-day public comment period. The program is required because Canandaigua operates as a municipal separate storm sewer system community under state and federal regulations.
Virkler said the plan covers six minimum control measures, including public education, public involvement, illicit discharge detection, construction oversight, post-construction inspections and internal staff practices aimed at reducing pollution in runoff.
He said city staff annually inspect more than 300 discharge points where stormwater leaves the system and enters waterways including Sucker Brook, the outlet and, in some cases, Canandaigua Lake.
Committee members discussed whether the city should do more direct public outreach about stormwater pollution and the way runoff enters the lake untreated. Virkler said the city’s recent decision to join the Stormwater Coalition should help expand its education efforts, while existing partnerships with local watershed groups and schools also support that work.
Sailboard agreement renewal reviewed
The committee’s third agenda item involved a proposed five-year renewal of the city’s revocable license agreement with Neon Wave, doing business as Canandaigua Sailboard. Under the proposal, the business would continue using designated areas at Kershaw Park and Lagoon Park for kayak and paddleboard launching and staging in exchange for a $6,000 annual fee.
The agreement would allow use from May 1 through Oct. 31 between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., with no use until after 3:30 p.m. on Thursdays. Committee members discussed language restricting public use of part of Kershaw Park during the operating season, and city officials said the limitation applies mainly to the specific staging area occupied by the rental business, not to general public access at the waterfront.
Officials also said Canandaigua Sailboard has historically been a cooperative steward of the space and has helped members of the public launch their own kayaks even while operating under the city agreement.
The agreement also requires the business to carry insurance, clean up trash, reimburse the city for damage, and comply with city and state regulations. The license is revocable by the city with notice under specified conditions.
City officials said the arrangement supports a broader parks and recreation goal of expanding public access to Canandaigua Lake and encouraging non-motorized boating.
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