Council opens discussion with Buffalo Sewer Authority on rising sewer costs, requests detailed financial report

Buffalo City Council opened a discussion with the Buffalo Sewer Authority on the authority’s finances and rising sewer costs, asking the authority for a detailed financial report and clarification of recent rate changes and capital spending.

The discussion, introduced when councilmembers removed item 3 from the table, centered on capital projects at the Bird Island treatment facility, deferred maintenance across the combined sewer system, recent rate increases and how state and federal grants have been used.

Councilmember Ryan, who introduced concerns about transparency around the authority’s budget, said councilmembers and residents have been surprised to learn of major cost increases after budgets were adopted and asked the authority to provide more proactive financial briefings. “These costs are going off the chart, and it’s something that’s unmanageable,” Ryan said.

Rosalie Noble, principal sanitary engineer for the Buffalo Sewer Authority, told the council the authority has a combined sewer system with aging components—some dating to the 1930s—and a treatment plant at Bird Island that requires major upgrades. “We are investing a quarter‑billion dollars in making those updates to that treatment facility,” Noble said, adding that parts of the plant were rebuilt in phases and more work remains. Noble said those upgrades and federally and state‑mandated biological (secondary) treatment drive energy and capital needs.

Charles Riley, executive secretary for the Buffalo Sewer…