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The Onondaga County Water Authority (OCWA) has announced that repair work on a broken pipe in Syracuse may take longer than initially expected. The fix, which was anticipated to be completed by early January, might now extend into the first full week of the month. This delay affects residents in DeWitt, Manlius, Pompey, Sullivan, Lenox, and Lincoln, who are urged to continue conserving water.
The broken transmission line in Cicero has put these areas at risk of running out of water. According to Jeff Brown, OCWA's executive director, the water levels in Manlius's tanks have dropped to 18% capacity, although conservation efforts have slowed the decline. The affected towns typically use about five million gallons of water daily, but this has been reduced to four million gallons. To avoid running out of water, usage needs to drop further to 3.5 million gallons per day.
Efforts to mitigate the situation include emergency water shipments and redistributing water from other areas. The city of Oneida is sending water to Canastota and Chittenango, and a temporary 400-foot water line has been installed. Local businesses are also taking measures to conserve water, with some bringing in tankers or changing processes to reduce usage.
Ryan McMahon, Onondaga County Executive, emphasized the importance of ongoing conservation efforts, as repairs are expected to take more than two weeks. The repair process involves digging a 150-foot trench and replacing affected concrete with iron, a complex task due to shifting soils and significant groundwater.
OCWA has implemented mandatory water conservation measures, urging residents to use water only for essential needs. This includes reducing toilet flushes, taking shorter showers, and pausing non-essential water use in commercial operations. The county has prepared to distribute bottled water if necessary, with a mass distribution site set up in Manlius.
The community's response to conservation requests has been positive, but officials warn that any lapse in efforts could worsen the situation. Construction at the site of the break is set to begin on Monday (December 29).