Olean responds to sewage overflow into Allegheny River

BUFFALO N.Y, (WIVB) — The City of Olean has responded after the discharge of sewage that overflowed from the city’s wastewater treatment plant into the Allegheny River.

On April 3, the wastewater treatment plant in Olean reported two overflows of untreated sewage into the river. The combined time of the overflows added up to two hours and 58 minutes. During that span, it was originally reported by the Seneca Nation that approximately 186,000 gallons of untreated sewage entered the river.

The Allegheny River runs through the Seneca Nation’s Allegany Territory.

Following the overflow, the Seneca Nation’s Emergency Management department advised those along the river to cease recreational activities for the “next few days.”

“Dangerous overflows and illegal discharges into the river from the Olean plant have been a persistent problem for years, yet the city fails to address the problem. The Seneca people and our neighbors along Ohi:yo’ should not be forced to live with these unhealthy conditions and attacks on our valued ecosystem,” Seneca Nation President Rickey Armstrong said.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued an administrative order of consent for Olean to upgrade its wastewater treatment facilities. The Seneca Nation claims that the plant isn’t in compliance with the order and that the order has been extended multiple times to give the city more time. Olean now has until 2042 to be compliant with the order.

The Nation sent an intent to initiate civil action against the city in 2022 regarding the Clean Water Act.

On Friday, the City of Olean released a statement regarding the overflow.

A statement from the city says the actual amount of overflow was 46,500 gallons of untreated sewage, with the remaining 139,500 gallons being stormwater.

Olean says it has invested $22 million into upgrades and the expansion of the facility, and claims it is in full compliance with the permit.

The Allegheny River serves as a source of drinking water for millions of people, from the Southern Tier of New York, down to Pittsburgh, according to the Seneca Nation.

Colton Pankiewicz is an intern with News 4. Currently, he is a senior studying journalism at Canisius University, where he serves as sports editor for The Griffin.