A payment of $3 a year may help improve the water quality of Owasco Lake.
With this money, people who rely on Owasco Lake as a drinking source could fund a lake steward position to monitor their drinking water full-time.
"We have no person who constantly patrols the lake," said Eileen O'Connor, director of Environmental Health for Cayuga County.
But the county's Water Quality Management Agency is working to make the goal of many lake conservation groups and state Sen. Mike Nozzolio a reality.
Nozzolio secured $425,000 in state funding for Owasco Lake conservation efforts in the summer.
Since then, Dr. John Halfman, of the Finger Lakes Institute, has been able to continue his studies on factors contributing to the degradation of Owasco Lake.
Halfman presented his most recent research Dec. 7 to management agency members, who then discussed the progress of the agency's goals. Many of the group's lake priorities are a combination of goals created by Nozzolio and lake organizations.
The top priority of the management agency is to implement a plan to start discussing and looking for funding to a create a water steward position, O'Connor said.
"Regulations by public health law are protective of water quality in that they prohibit many activities that could degrade water quality. Presently we have no person who devotes a significant amount of time to patrol this area to see if there are activities that are occurring that may harm the environment," according to a document from the county's Department of Environmental Health.
O'Connor said a water steward position would cost $55,755 per year. Water Quality Management Agency members met with water suppliers, representatives from municipalities that use Owasco Lake water, Dec. 12 to explain their plan and seek support to help fund the position.
"Water suppliers now have to take the idea back to their boards. It's in their hands now," O'Connor said.
County Environmental Engineer Bruce Natale said that suppliers seemed supportive but that an issue will arise when figuring out position funding.
"There was strong support for an inspector. We just have to hammer out how to fund it," Natale said.
The agency will hear back from suppliers in the beginning of January.
Read the full report in Saturday's edition of The Citizen.
"We have no person who constantly patrols the lake," said Eileen O'Connor, director of Environmental Health for Cayuga County.
But the county's Water Quality Management Agency is working to make the goal of many lake conservation groups and state Sen. Mike Nozzolio a reality.
Nozzolio secured $425,000 in state funding for Owasco Lake conservation efforts in the summer.
Since then, Dr. John Halfman, of the Finger Lakes Institute, has been able to continue his studies on factors contributing to the degradation of Owasco Lake.
Halfman presented his most recent research Dec. 7 to management agency members, who then discussed the progress of the agency's goals. Many of the group's lake priorities are a combination of goals created by Nozzolio and lake organizations.
The top priority of the management agency is to implement a plan to start discussing and looking for funding to a create a water steward position, O'Connor said.
"Regulations by public health law are protective of water quality in that they prohibit many activities that could degrade water quality. Presently we have no person who devotes a significant amount of time to patrol this area to see if there are activities that are occurring that may harm the environment," according to a document from the county's Department of Environmental Health.
O'Connor said a water steward position would cost $55,755 per year. Water Quality Management Agency members met with water suppliers, representatives from municipalities that use Owasco Lake water, Dec. 12 to explain their plan and seek support to help fund the position.
"Water suppliers now have to take the idea back to their boards. It's in their hands now," O'Connor said.
County Environmental Engineer Bruce Natale said that suppliers seemed supportive but that an issue will arise when figuring out position funding.
"There was strong support for an inspector. We just have to hammer out how to fund it," Natale said.
The agency will hear back from suppliers in the beginning of January.
Read the full report in Saturday's edition of The Citizen.
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