Micron's water demand may double Onondaga County's usage, raising cost concerns

CLAY, N.Y. — As Micron Technology plans to build microchip plants in Onondaga County, the community’s water demand is expected to double, raising concerns about potential cost increases for neighbors. Plans are underway to construct a new pipeline and possibly two, pipelines from Lake Ontario to the Micron site in Clay.

Jeff Brown, Executive Director of the Onondaga County Water Authority (OCWA), said the project could cost more than $550 million. “At a minimum, we are going to need one additional pipe. Whether we need a second pipe is really not clear at this point,” Brown said.

Currently, OCWA pulls 17 to 18 million gallons of water daily, which matches the amount the first two Micron plants will require. During summer, usage could rise to 35 million gallons a day, with a permit cap at 62.5 million gallons.

Brown is working with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to secure a permit for increased water usage. He is also in discussions with state and federal partners, as well as Micron, regarding funding. “We’re working with the governor’s office. We’ve also reached out to our federal partners. And finally, we are engaged with Micron to talk to them about what they are going to pay for as far as the upgrades needed to support their project,” Brown said.

Neighbors like Kristin Sciortino of North Syracuse are concerned about potential water bill increases. “I personally find the quality of water here really good and I find it inexpensive. I’m not thrilled at the thought of it being inexpensive but as long as it’s not a precipitous increase. I’m okay with it,” Sciortino said.

When it comes to who may be paying for this project Brown tells us funding for this project is going to involve talks with the state, the federal government, and Micron. “We’re working with the governor’s office We’ve also reached out to our federal partners. And finally, we are engaged with Micron to talk to them about what they are going to pay for as far as the upgrades needed to support their project.”

Brown acknowledged the potential possibility of passing some improvement costs onto existing customers but emphasized that finding alternative funding sources is the priority. “So there is a chance that we are going to put some of the improvement costs onto our existing customers, but that is certainly not our number one priority. Our number one priority is those other sources,” he said.

Sciortino expressed optimism that Micron will contribute to the costs once operational. “I’m sure that once Micron is up and running obviously they will be paying for their share of the water. So if there is a temporary increase to upgrade the system that should benefit all of us,” she said.

The need for a third pipeline will depend on various factors, including the size of the initial pipes. If the second pipeline is large enough, a third may not be necessary.