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Onondaga Lake: From Toxic Dump to Natural Pride
9 Oct
Summary
- Once heavily polluted, Onondaga Lake now hosts over 65 fish species.
- Cleanup efforts began in the 1970s, with major upgrades to treatment plants.
- Industrial and sewage pollution plagued the lake for over a century.
Onondaga Lake in Central New York, once prohibited for swimming and fishing due to severe pollution, has seen a dramatic turnaround. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation reports the lake is the cleanest it has been in over a century, with pollution, toxicity, and algal growth significantly reduced.
Historically a tourist hub in the 19th century, the lake suffered from industrial effluents and municipal sewage starting in the 1880s. Mercury, salt waste, PCBs, ammonia, and organic pollutants contaminated the waters. Additionally, sewage from the Syracuse Wastewater Treatment Plant and combined sewer overflows introduced further issues.
Cleanup initiatives commenced in the 1970s, leading to a 1989 consent decree that mandated wastewater treatment plant and collection system upgrades. Onondaga County has since completed numerous green infrastructure projects and abated combined sewer overflows. Industrial cleanup, led by entities like Honeywell, has also progressed through enforcement agreements and remediation projects.
Polluted runoff from various sources within the watershed remains a concern, addressed through initiatives targeting sediment, road salt, fertilizers, and animal waste. These efforts, alongside individual actions like using phosphorus-free fertilizers, contribute to the ongoing protection of the lake.
