Cleanwater Educational Facility (2011 LGAA)

Village of Minoa (Winner)
County: Onondaga County
Population: Less than 5,000
Village Hall: (315) 656-3100

Fifteen years ago, the Village of Minoa was under a consent order for not meeting new DEC requirements. Out of that consent order came the request for the Village to build a construction wetland project to see if older technology would work in this climate. When the project was originally turned over to the Village by the engineers, it did not work. Three days later, the Waste Water Treatment Facility (WWTF) Superintendent had it working, which marked the beginning of the Village's innovative journey.

Through the years, the Village has allowed Superintendent Giarrusso to try different tests and experiments as he was also taking courses on his own at SUNY ESF. During that time he came to know and began collaborating with some of the professors at SUNY ESF. As a result, two years ago, the Village began forming a partnership with the college to create a real life educational, testing research facility.

Having such research facility allows the Village to predetermine, in real time, if a cost effective solution can be reached, helping them achieve their primary purpose -- finding low cost green alternatives to today's costly modern technology that will benefit small municipalities, farmers, department of defense and third world countries.

Local high school students have been brought into the program on an internship basis and the school district has committed to a K-12 educational program. The school system will supply the Village with food waste that the Village will convert into an energy source which, when fully implemented, will reduce landfill costs for both the Village and the school district, as well as significantly reduce the energy cost of the WWTF. This translates into a savings for Village and school taxpayers, as well as an educational opportunity for the Minoa community on environmental waste material issues.

The project would not be viable without the many partners that have contributed to its success. Cleanwater Educational Research Facility (CERF) is made up of the Village of Minoa, SUNY ESF and SKD, LLC, a private company. Supporting the CERF project: East Syracuse-Minoa School District, the private firms of AMteck, Primo and Primo Attorneys, Dunn and Sgromo Engineers, and our citizens who completed a food waster survey. Finally, the project has also had support from Senator David Valesky, Assemblyman Don Miller, Congresswoman Ann Marie Buerkel, and EFC CEO Matt Driscoll.