March 2005--Passero Associates was recently honored to receive a “Gold Award” and a “Silver Award” from the American Council of Engineering Companies of New York (ACEC New York) for excellence in engineering, recognizing the firm’s work on two projects. The Gold Award, in the Water and Wastewater Engineering category, was in recognition of the firm’s engineering work on the Webster Sandbar Sewer & Watermain Extension in Webster, New York. The Silver Award, in the Surveying and Mapping Technology category, was in recognition of the firm’s innovative use of GPS in surveying the Mill Seat Landfill in Bergen, NY. John F. Caruso, P.E., Wayne F. Wegman, P.E. and Daniel Savage of Passero Associates accepted these prestigious awards on behalf of Passero Associates and their clients at the Council’s annual gala dinner dance in New York City.

In congratulating the winning firms, Andrew J. Ciancia, president of ACEC New York, said, “Each year we challenge ourselves to meet the needs of our communities in transportation systems and facilities, water quality, indoor and outdoor environments, and other areas of engineering that improve the safety and quality of life for our citizens. Once again, you’ve met that challenge. Our member firms have prepared more panels than any other state council, and we have sent the most panels to the national competition. Congratulations!”

About the Webster Sandbar Sewer & Watermain Extension Project
Monroe County and the Town of Webster teamed up to provide sanitary sewers and watermain to the area of Lake Road known as the Sandbar. The Sandbar is a picturesque area approximately one mile long at the Ontario Lake inlet to the Irondequoit Bay. Benefits of a public sanitary sewer included: over 200 residential and commercial properties receiving sanitary sewer service; elimination of the flow of untreated sewage into Irondequoit Bay and Lake Ontario; eradication of possible contamination of the groundwater in the area; and improvements to the natural ecosystem of the region. Passero Associates served as the prime consultant on this large-scale project, coordinating and directing the efforts of multiple agencies and contractors.

The Sandbar sewer and watermain project was a culmination of several years of planning and studies. Monroe County Pure Waters (MCPW) sought a way to convey sewage from 1500 units in their Penfield service area to the Van Lare Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), where it could be treated more economically. The Town of Webster studied ways in which it could extend sanitary sewers to the sandbar, yet still be affordable for property owners. Monroe County Water Authority (MCWA) wanted to improve its domestic and fire-fighting services to the sandbar area. Passero Associates collaborated with the three agencies to develop a completed project design that was a winning proposition for all three agencies and for the environment.

The Sandbar area contains several significant environmental areas, including: wetlands, coastal hazards areas, flood zones, fish and wildlife habitat, and archaeological sites, which required extensive deliberations with 10 permit agencies. During the design process, Passero Associates, as engineering consultant, met with these agencies to arrive at the best solution which caused the least impact while achieving the project goals.

The construction cost for the project was $4,678,000. The funding for this project was obtained via the following sources: New York State’s Environmental Facilities Corp. Revolving Loans of $1 million for the Town of Webster and $2.5 million for MCPW, $500,000 cash capital from MCWA; and the State’s Clean Water Bond Act grant for $500,000.

The construction contract was awarded to Villager Construction in September 2002 and received a notice to proceed in November 2002. Villager continued work on the project through one of the harshest winters in recent memory and completed the project in December 2003. The pump stations were tested and the sewer system became operational in January 2004.

The cooperative efforts of Monroe County, the Town of Webster and Passero Associates, supported by Villager Construction, have resulted in a successful solution to a difficult environmental and sewer service challenge. The unique ecosystem of the Sandbar has been preserved and the contaminants that threatened this fragile area have been eliminated. Over 200 homes and businesses have been provided with modern, affordable sewer service. The successful completion of this project has created immediate benefits for the community and the region, and has enabled the preservation of this environmental treasure for future generations.

About the GPS Survey Method Used at Mill Seat Landfill
Construction of the Mill Seat Landfill presented many challenges, not the least of which was the need for large-scale survey services. To meet these challenges, the survey professionals at Passero Associates utilized Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, which, when combined with traditional stakeout methods, provided highly accurate survey results while delivering service in an efficient and timely manner. This innovative use of survey technology reduced the manpower and associated costs required to complete the job while providing a higher level of accuracy to the client.

The Mill Seat Landfill project provided an opportunity to fully utilize the GPS system. GPS was combined with Real Time Kinematic (RTK) to instantly give the coordinate value of the shot. The time required to take a shot is less than 10 seconds. Having the coordinate value of each shot on-site enabled the contractor to have immediate access to figures for rough earthwork.

Complementing the high-tech results generated by GPS, the professionals at Passero Associates use conventional stakeout methods for greater accuracy. The conventional method uses total stations with Tripod Data Systems (TDS) software. Both the GPS and the total station systems use the TDS software. This creates seamless integration of data collection using both the GPS and the conventional total station method. This unique combination of GPS technology and conventional survey methodology produces highly accurate results and reduces engineering errors.

Using the GPS system reduces the labor required on the part of the surveyor and allows for smaller crews to do the work of larger crews. For example, when working at Mill Seat Landfill using GPS, a one-man crew was able to do the job of a two-man crew in the same timeframe.

The use of GPS enabled the creation of a tight control network using static methods. This tight control network created using the static GPS method facilitated the use of conventional survey methods to properly stake out the layers of the cell. The use of GPS eliminated the need to capture the sites between control points, simplifying the survey process while increasing accuracy.

The Mill Seat Landfill cell was completed in October 2004, despite the unusually wet conditions experienced in the area over the summer of 2004. The final cost of the project is $3 million. By using the conventional stakeout method with GPS, as-built information is collected instantaneously. New as-built measurements can be made rapidly, enabling the certification of the area to the design specifications, and to the satisfaction of all regulatory requirements.

The use of GPS enabled the client to meet their total goals and complete the cell. The creation of the new cell enables the landfill to continue receiving waste from its clients. The GPS survey method pioneered by the professionals at Passero Associates has also enabled the client to meet the strict federal and state regulations concerning the design and construction of waste cell sites. This innovative use of survey technology has proven to be a cost-effective and efficient method for completion of this complex survey project.