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City Sewer System

There are approximately 350 miles of sewers in the City of Albany. About two-thirds of the sewers are combined (sanitary/storm) sewers, and one-third are separated sewers. Route 85 generally borders the area with combined sewers on the west, on the south by the Thruway, and on the north by Central and Clinton Avenues. Separated storm sewers discharge to the Krum Kill, the Normans Kill, the Patroon Creek and the Hudson River.

The combined sewers discharge to the Albany County Sewer District South Plant in the Port of Albany, through a series of regulator chambers along the Albany County Interceptor Sewer. During heavy rains excess water is discharged to Hudson River, this is referred to as combined sewer overflow (CSO). The Albany Water Board has a New York State DEC Permit for CSOs to the Hudson River.

The Albany Water Board, along with Cohoes, Green Island, Watervliet, Troy, and Rensselaer, is currently undertaking a major planning study for mitigation of the CSOs. This is called the CSO Long Term Control Plan. $2 million from New York State and $2 million in matching funds from the communities are funding this.

Municipal separated storm sewer systems are referred to as MS4s. These discharge directly into natural watercourses such as the Krum Kill, the Normans Kill, the Patroon Creek and the Hudson River. The City of Albany, along with other New York State communities, will soon be enacting new local ordinances in regard to regulating activities that discharge to MS4s. These regulations will be relating to illicit discharges of wastewater and toxic chemicals, construction site runoff control, and pollution prevention. The City of Albany has joined with other Albany County communities in a NYSDEC grant funded project to implement new MS4 regulations.