City Newspaper Archives - 7/2008
DEVELOPMENT: DEC approves new Webster water plant
Published by Jeremy Moule on Jul 08, 2008
The Monroe County Water Authority is one step closer to building its Webster water plant.
The Department of Environmental Conservation has finished its review of the authority's proposed East Side Water Project and given it the go-ahead. The $80 million project includes a station in Webster that would pump Lake Ontario water to an inland water-treatment plant.
"The permit has been issued, and it's in the mail," Peter Lent, regional permit administrator for the DEC, said this afternoon.
The plant has been controversial, with some county Democrats and environmentalists worrying that it's unnecessary and could promote sprawl. Democrats especially are also worried that it could give the authority more leverage as it renegotiates a water sharing agreement with the city of Rochester. Some have speculated that the city may wind up turning over some or all of its water system, including the pristine Hemlock and Canadice Lakes
Water Authority officials say the plant is needed for backup purposes as well as to meet peak water demands. The authority's current service area stretches out to the Erie County border.
