Seneca Nation issues health alert for Allegheny River
OLEAN, N.Y. (WIVB) – With this heavy rain WNY has been getting — local wastewater treatment plants have been trying to keep up.
However, that’s been tough to do — and they’re dumping raw sewage into local waterways.
It’s an issue that’s been happening for years and the Seneca Nation has since issued a health warning for people in the Southern Tier.
The Seneca Nation’s emergency management department is telling people not to go in or near the Allegheny River over the next few days.
The City of Olean says over 46,000 gallons of untreated wastewater ended up in the river a week ago due to heavy rain.
Ricky Armstrong, Sr., the president of the Seneca Nation says he’s frustrated that wastewater discharges continue to happen in the Allegheny River — they’ve been happening for years and the Seneca’s claim the City of Olean fails to address the problem.
“It is unfortunate and unconscionable that this ongoing threat to the health and safety of Ohi:yo` and the people who live along the river is allowed to continue,” Armstrong said.
City of Olean Mayor William Aiello says he’s aware wastewater discharges into the Allegheny River can be upsetting. He says the city does everything it can do to reduce the frequency and duration of wastewater discharges into the river.
Due to heavy rain over the past few days, sewage discharges have occurred in Ellicott Creek in Amherst and Williamsville, Bergholtz Creek in Niagara Falls and Buffalo Creek in West Seneca, as almost every local community has been trying to handle all the rain.
“Luckily, North Tonawanda does have quite a large capacity to take in that wastewater and that could include obviously sewer, but also storm water so you’d have a sanitary storm that comes in, we treat it and then it goes at least to the Niagara River,” said Mayor Austin Tylec of the City of North Tonawanda.
Back in Olean, the city says it remains in compliance with a 2001 consent order with the state on its management of city wastewater. The Seneca Nation has threatened to sue the City of Olean over this issue.
The Seneca Nation says the Allegheny River is used for drinking water, as well as kayaking and fishing.
Jeff Preval is an award-winning anchor and reporter who joined the News 4 team in December 2021. See more of his work here.
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