Seneca Nation, Olean to address wastewater overflows into Allegheny River with new task force
The discharge of sewage from the city's wastewater treatment plant has been an issue for years, with approximately 186,000 gallons entering the river last April, the Seneca Nation reported. Officials said last April and June, over 460,000 gallons of untreated sewage was discharged into the river, which affects the Seneca Nation downstream.
Seneca Nation President J. Conrad Seneca and Olean Mayor William Aiello, along with eight others, will make up the task force.
'Our collaboration affords us the opportunity to pool our expertise and mutual resources to address the challenges that Olean faces in our wastewater management practices,' Aiello said in a news release. 'The Allegheny River is an asset for both the City of Olean and the Seneca Nation; safeguarding the environmental integrity of the river and public health is important for both of our communities.'
Seneca said the Seneca Nation has been vocal by calling for action from Olean. In 2022, the territory had sent a intent to initiate civil action against the city regarding the Clean Water Act.
'If our Nation can assist Olean — through advocacy, through the expertise of our grant writers, and through other avenues — to finally put an end to this harmful situation, we are committed to doing that,' Seneca said in a news release. 'The destruction of the river needs to stop now.'
Since 2007, there have been a total of 46 recorded discharges from the city, officials said. The state's Department of Environmental Conservation had ordered the city to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant.
The Seneca Nation previously said that the plant was not complying with the order and that it was extended various times to give the city extra time. Olean currently has until 2042 to become fully compliant with the order, according to officials. The city is said to have maintained payments of $250,000 to be in compliance with the order.
The Allegheny River is a source of drinking water for millions of people in the Southern Tier of New York down to Pittsburgh, the Seneca Nation said last April.
Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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