7/19/2006
Media Contact:
Justin Ohlemiller,
[317] 327-3690
Margie Smith-Simmons, [317] 327-4669 |
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City reaches agreement in principle with state, EPA on plan to curb raw sewage overflows
INDIANAPOLIS- The city of Indianapolis has reached a tentative agreement with state and federal agencies on a 20-year plan to greatly reduce raw sewage overflows into Marion County waterways, ensuring continued progress in improving the quality of life in many Indianapolis neighborhoods, Mayor Bart Peterson announced today.
Before finalizing the plan, which is a key component of the mayor's "Clean Streams-Healthy Neighborhoods" program, the city will hold a 30-day public comment period. Once finalized, the plan will be submitted to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and filed in federal court along with a consent decree.
The $1.8 billion plan represents the largest investment in clean water infrastructure in the city's history. All construction will be completed by December 31, 2025.
"Since 2000, we have invested more than $200 million and reduced raw sewage overflows by 145 million gallons per year," Mayor Peterson said. "This long-term plan will guarantee ongoing, sustained progress toward cleaner streams and healthier neighborhoods for years to come."
Under the tentative agreement, the city has agreed to invest:
· $1.73 billion by December 2025 to significantly reduce raw sewage overflows from the combined sewer system;
· $50.4 million by December 2015 to eliminate chronic overflows from seven locations in the separate, sanitary sewer system; and
· $3.5 million by December 2010 on supplemental environmental projects to eliminate septic systems in the Epler-Meridian and Banta-Southport neighborhoods.
Although not a required component of the agreement, the city also plans an additional $64.3 million in watershed improvement projects, such as streambank restoration and streamflow augmentation, for a total investment of more than $1.8 billion in 2005 dollars.
The 30-day public review and comment period for the plan will end August 18. The plan is available on-line at www.indycleanstreams.org, at all Marion County public library branches, the Department of Public Works office at 604 N. Sherman Drive, and the Indianapolis Clean Stream Team at 151 N. Delaware, Suite 900. Electronic copies of the plan on CD-Rom can be obtained by calling 317-327-8720.
A public hearing on the proposed plan will be held at 7 p.m. on August 3 at Good Hall, Room 105, University of Indianapolis, 1400 E. Hanna Ave. Written comments on the plan should be submitted by August 18 either on-line at the address above or to the Indianapolis Clean Stream Team, 151 N. Delaware St., Suite 900, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
"Our draft plan has been built upon years of public dialogue," Public Works Director Kumar Menon said. "We've conducted extensive outreach to neighborhoods, the business community and environmental interest groups - and benefited from the advice of many stakeholders and experts through our Clean Stream Team Advisory Committee. However, we didn't want to finalize the plan without an opportunity for our citizens to provide their comments and input."
This program will affect - and benefit - all residents of Marion County. Raw sewage overflows from outdated sewers are a century-old problem faced by hundreds of cities, especially in the Midwest and Northeast. When it rains or snow melts, stormwater can overload the combined storm-and-sanitary sewers in older neighborhoods.
Historically, in a typical year, nearly 6 billion gallons of untreated sewage overflowed from more than 130 outfall pipes located along the White River, Fall Creek, Pleasant Run, Bean Creek, Pogues Run, Eagle Creek, Lick Creek and State Ditch. Another 2 billion gallons of partially treated sewage overflowed at the city's wastewater treatment plants.
The 20-year plan to reduce sewage overflows includes the following major construction projects:
· A 224-million-gallon tunnel located deep underground along Fall Creek and White River. The tunnel will store sewage overflows during rain storms, then pump the sewage to the city's wastewater treatment plants after the storm subsides.
· New, larger sewers and underground storage tanks along affected waterways to capture overflows and carry them to the central tunnel or treatment plants.
· Improvements and expansion at the Belmont and Southport Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plants to increase their ability to store and treat incoming flows during wet weather.
· A new 12-foot diameter sewer connecting the two treatment plants, enabling the city to better manage and treat flows during wet weather.
· Local sewer separation projects to eliminate isolated raw sewage overflows on White River, State Ditch, Lick Creek and the upstream ends of Fall Creek, Pogues Run and Bean Creek.
· Inflatable dams and pinch valves at key points in the sewer system, enabling the city to better use existing sewer lines to contain and reduce sewage overflows.
The plan will improve the ability of the sewer system and treatment plants to handle rainfall and snowmelt, so sewers overflow only during very large storms when streams are flowing too fast for wading or swimming. The updated sewer system will:
· Capture 97 percent of wet-weather sewer flows on Fall Creek, reducing the frequency of overflows to Fall Creek from about 60 storms per year to two storms in a year with typical rainfall.
· Capture 95 percent of wet-weather sewer flows on White River and other streams, reducing overflows to four storms in a typical year. Actual overflow frequency will depend on weather conditions, with as many as six to 10 overflows occurring in wet years and as few as zero in dry years.
· Dramatically reduce the amount of sewage overflowing into our streams, improve oxygen levels for fish, reduce E. coli bacteria levels and significantly reduce or eliminate odors, untreated sewage and trash in neighborhood streams.
In addition to reducing overflows in the combined sewer area, the city will implement projects to eliminate seven chronic sanitary sewer overflows in the separated sewer system by 2015.
The plan is one of four components of the Mayor's 20-year Clean Streams-Healthy Neighborhoods Program. The other components, though not a part of the federal agreement, are:
· Bringing sewer service to 18,000 homes in neighborhoods with failing or aging septic systems;
· Expanding and rehabilitating the separate sanitary sewer system to meet growing neighborhood and business needs; and
· Improving neighborhood drainage and flood protection.
A rate increase approved last year by the City-County Council will fund projects planned in 2006-2008. During that time, the city will undertake $400 million in sewage overflow, sanitary sewer and water treatment projects and $40 million in flood control and drainage improvements. Additional rate increases will be needed every year or two beginning in 2009 to finance the 20-year plan and meet other Clean Water Act goals.
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