Engineering
Overview
The Engineering Department designs, inspects, and reviews various construction and reconstruction projects in the Town of Ithaca
Most projects the Engineering Department oversees fall into the following categories:
- Highway Infrastructure
- Parks
- Trails
- Stormwater
- Sanitary Sewer
- Potable Water
- GIS Mapping
- Development Review
Road reconstruction projects support safe transportation and infrastructure.
Stormwater projects ensure that the sanitary sewer and stormwater pipe network are separated.
The Town of Ithaca is an MS4(Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System), meaning the sanitary sewer and stormwater pipe network are separated. This helps lower wastewater treatment costs and prevent high flows during a rainstorm from overwhelming the wastewater treatment plant, since stormwater doesn’t need to be treated.
The Town of Ithaca aims to prevent pollutants from construction sites and illicit connections from entering the storm network and contaminating Cayuga Lake and other water bodies.
Sewer projects help keep stormwater out of the sanitary network.
Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation projects can help prevent the inflow and infiltration (I&I) of stormwater into the sanitary network. High levels of I&I can overwhelm the wastewater treatment plant during rainstorms. Stormwater can enter the sanitary sewer system either via direct connection (inflow) or deficiencies in infrastructure (infiltration).
Inflow
Infiltration
Water projects protect the delivery of potable water to Ithaca residents.
Bolton Point supplies water to most Town of Ithaca residents.
Water Tower
Water Main Replacement
GIS mapping projects assist in identifying areas in need of rehabilitation.
The Engineering Department develops maps using GIS that help identify utility improvements and keep track of maintenance.
