Tompkins County reviews leachate treatment options for Caswell and Hillview landfills, delays major changes

On Sept. 5, 2025, the Tompkins County Planning, Energy and Environmental Quality Committee received a technical briefing on leachate management for the closed Caswell and Hillview landfills and heard that major on‑site pretreatment is not expected in the near term.

The presentation and ensuing discussion focused on the history of treatment studies, current operational practices, regulatory developments and technology options. Consultants and county staff said trucking leachate to the Ithaca wastewater treatment facility has remained the most economical approach after multiple feasibility studies and pilot tests.

Lou Anne Meyer, an engineering consultant with Barton Le Judas, summarized the long record of studies dating to 1996 and noted a 2016 pilot that evaluated constructed wetlands. "Constructed wetland could not handle total dissolved solids or sodium," Meyer said, citing pilot results that left trucking as the most viable option at the time. Meyer added, "we're keeping a finger on the pulse of technologies and looking at different changes," and said counties are largely…