The Cayuga County Water and Sewer Authority has suspended work and spending on a proposed $33 million sewer project for lakefront properties in Ledyard and Genoa after voters rejected creation of a sewer district in June.
The authority board directed staff July 1 to stop actions and expenditures tied to the Cayuga Lake Protection Plan, which would have extended municipal sewer service along the Cayuga Lake shoreline from Aurora south to the Cayuga County line.
The project called for about nine miles of sewer line and would have served more than 400 residential properties along the lakefront. Those properties currently rely on individual holding tanks and septic systems for wastewater management, according to the authority.
The Cayuga County Water and Sewer Authority said it began the project at the request of lakefront property owners. County health officials had supported the effort, noting that many existing systems do not meet current standards and may affect water quality.
Board Chairman Robert Shea said the authority studied the project's feasibility, developed financing options and sought state and federal funding so residents could understand the potential cost and how the project would be carried out.
At the time of the referendum, the authority had secured grants for half of the project cost and a zero-percent interest loan for the rest of the $33 million project. Shea called that level of support rare for public infrastructure work and said the authority appreciated support from the Environmental Facilities Corporation.
Shea said the authority recognized from the start that the decision to move the project forward rested with residents in the affected area. He said the authority was disappointed in the referendum outcome but would continue its mission to provide water and sewer facilities and operations that benefit public health and protect the environment.
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