Syracuse, New York — The Onondaga County Water Authority (OCWA) is undertaking a major emergency repair project to replace a damaged water transmission line affecting thousands of residents across Central New York. The repair involves replacing 134 feet of pipe in a critical transmission line that supplies water to six towns east of Syracuse, according to reporting by Syracuse.com published December 26, 2025.
The project represents one of the region's most significant infrastructure emergencies in recent years, with repairs extending into early January 2026 and costs expected to exceed $1 million for dewatering and excavation alone.
The Onondaga County Water Authority has been battling water leaks at the transmission line facility since summer 2025. What began as a valve leak repaired in August escalated dramatically when the main transmission line developed leaks in November and December, ultimately requiring the agency to shut off the entire line on December 20, cutting off water to approximately 27,000 customers.
Affected communities include the towns of Manlius, DeWitt, Pompey, Sullivan, Lenox, and Lincoln—all located east of the rupture site on Northern Boulevard in Cicero. The water loss represents a critical infrastructure failure that OCWA moved quickly to address.
According to OCWA Executive Director Jeff Brown, the agency has mobilized resources from across the nation. "Equipment and supplies will continue to arrive on the site at Wheatley Road, just off Northern Boulevard," Brown said. "Sections of iron pipe are being shipped from Alabama, sleeves and fittings are on the way from Texas, and the steel, emergency pumps and pipe adapters are being sourced within New York."
While OCWA works to restore the main transmission line, the agency has implemented multiple emergency measures to maintain water supply for affected regions:
The OCWA transmission line failure highlights the critical importance of aging water infrastructure maintenance across New York State. The system serves as a vital lifeline for six Central New York communities, and the failure demonstrates the vulnerability of single-source transmission systems.
OCWA has been battling three separate leaks in the same area since summer 2025—an August valve leak followed by leaks in November and December. The escalating failures suggest underlying structural degradation in the aging pipeline infrastructure.
County Executive Ryan McMahon noted the stabilization achieved through community water conservation: "Right now, it looks like the situation at least has stabilized. We've had about three days in a row of net usage, where the new water being rerouted into the system is essentially what's being taken out."
However, continued success depends on ongoing conservation efforts from residents and businesses. Walmart locations have provided portable toilets, YMCAs suspended showers, and fire departments ceased vehicle washing to conserve water during the emergency.
OCWA Executive Director Jeff Brown confirmed that the agency has sufficient funds in reserve to cover the multi-million dollar repair costs without requiring borrowing. "The cost of the repair isn't known yet, but it will be in the millions," Brown stated.
Total dewatering and excavation costs alone are expected to exceed $1 million, with additional expenses for pipe materials, labor, and emergency temporary infrastructure.
Schools in affected communities were scheduled to reopen on January 5 after the holiday break. County Executive McMahon indicated the decision to reopen will depend on water conditions at that time: "Schools are going to open up based off the conditions that we know are there today. If something changes, we all have the ability to pivot."
However, OCWA Executive Director Brown noted that school operations may actually benefit from repair timeline overlap: "With schools in session, our residential demand will go down. I think it's a wash." This is because school-based water usage is offset by residential demand dropping when children return to school from home.
The OCWA emergency repair project underscores the importance of proactive infrastructure maintenance and redundancy in critical water systems. The fact that the same transmission line experienced three separate leaks in six months suggests that more comprehensive replacement or preventative maintenance protocols may be necessary.
As New York continues to invest in infrastructure modernization—with state funding initiatives supporting water system upgrades across the region—the OCWA project serves as a real-time example of why these investments are critical for public health, safety, and economic stability.
For more information on Central New York water infrastructure initiatives and emergency response, residents can contact their local town officials or the Onondaga County Water Authority directly.
The repair project demonstrates the resilience and coordination of Central New York's infrastructure agencies, with neighboring water systems and county agencies working together to maintain continuous water supply during this critical emergency.
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