It is the purpose of the Onondaga County Water Authority to supply and sell water for domestic, commercial and public purposes at retail to individual customers within the County of Onondaga or at wholesale in the manner provided under subdivision eight of section 1154 of the Public Authorities Law; to purchase, construct, lease and operate water systems and properties in Onondaga County, and in the Towns of Sullivan, Lenox and Lincoln in Madison County, and Volney in Oswego County; and to carry out all powers and duties granted and imposed, pursuant to title 7 of the Public Authorities Law. In meeting these objectives, the authority seeks to strike a suitable balance among competing social, economic and environmental factors. It is the intention of this Part that such factors be incorporated in the decision-making processes of the authority. It is not the intention of this Part that environmental factors be the sole consideration in the authority's decision-making.