Deep Rock Tunnel Connector
In June 2009, Mayor Greg Ballard announced plans to enhance the Deep Rock Tunnel Connector, one of Indianapolis’ largest combined sewer overflow consent decree projects – enhancements that will assist in reducing the amount and frequency of raw sewage overflows years ahead of schedule. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice recently granted final approval of the modifications.
“This approval from the EPA is a huge win for the city of Indianapolis and our environment,” Mayor Ballard said. “Not only have we figured out a way to do this project better and quicker, but we’re exceeding the requirements of the consent decree; we’re preventing even more sewage from spilling into the White River than what was originally required by the EPA and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.”
The Deep Rock Tunnel Connector project, formerly known as the Interplant Connect project, will now:
- Extend from the Southport Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant located at Southport Road and Tibbs Avenue, to the Belmont Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant near the White River and Harding Street, and then north terminating near South White River Parkway East Drive and South West Street.
- Address three Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) locations sooner, where raw sewage overflows into local rivers and streams. The original project design would have only addressed one CSO. This means an additional 3.5 billion gallons of raw sewage will be captured and treated, years ahead of the original consent decree schedule. This is sewage that otherwise could have gone directly into our waterways.
- Serve as the first phase of the city’s overall tunnel storage and transport system. Captured raw sewage will be stored in the tunnel and then transported to the wastewater treatment plant. The enhanced tunnel will have capacity to store over 54 million gallons of raw sewage during large storm events. Additional storage tunnels will be extended from this project along White River, Fall Creek, Pleasant Run and Pogues Run to create a collective, underground storage and transport facility for sewage.
- Manage neighborhood impacts during construction. The Deep Rock Tunnel Connector will be constructed more than 250 feet below ground surface in bedrock, with an internal diameter of 18 feet. As a result, impacts to area wells, gas lines, electrical lines, existing sewers and other utilities will be significantly reduced compared to the original project design. Traffic disruptions and property easements needed to construct the project will also be minimized.
- Incorporate sustainable concepts which will bring savings. Most notably, one of the project’s two previously planned pumping stations will now be eliminated, resulting in energy savings since the system will require less energy to run and operations can be simplified. This savings will be applied to future projects associated with the city’s consent decree.
- Begin construction in 2011, and the project will be complete and in operation by May 31, 2016.
The $257 million Deep Rock Tunnel Connector project is funded through sanitary sewer user fees and is a part of the recent sewer rate increase approved by the City-County Council.
The city of Indianapolis is working under a federally-mandated plan to curb the overflow of raw sewage into our rivers and streams. The $1.7 billion, 20-year plan, is required under a consent decree with the EPA and IDEM.