1/23/2007
Media Contact:
Justin Ohlemiller, [317] 327-3690
Margie Smith-Simmons, 327-4669 |
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State approves plan to reduce raw sewage overflows
Implementation of 20-Year Plan Already Underway
Indianapolis – Today, Mayor Bart Peterson announced that the Indiana Department of Environmental Management has approved the city's long-term plan to reduce raw sewage overflows into the White River and other neighborhood streams.
In a letter dated January 4, IDEM Assistant Commissioner Bruno Pigott said IDEM had conducted a substantive review of the plan and had approved Sections 1 through 8. Section 9, which requests a change to state water quality standards consistent with the plan, is still under review by IDEM.
"IDEM's approval is an important milestone for the City of Indianapolis and the many people who have helped develop the plan," Mayor Peterson said. "Our attention already has turned to implementing the plan and reducing raw sewage overflows for the benefit of our neighborhoods and the waterways that flow through them."
Substantial progress is already being made in reducing sewer overflows. In December 2006, the city completed the Lower Pogues Run Tunnel, which, in an average year, will prevent 95 million gallons of raw sewage from polluting a creek near four IPS schools. Also in 2006, new storage basins at the Belmont and Southport advanced wastewater treatment plants captured 970 million gallons of sewage, which otherwise would have flowed into the White River with partial or no treatment.
"While finalizing the plan, we have been moving ahead since 2000 with sewer and treatment plant improvements to reduce raw sewage overflows," said Kumar Menon, director of the Department of Public Works. "Many more projects are on the drawing board and will be moving to construction in the next few years."
The city's plan also has been filed in federal court as part of a consent decree among the city, IDEM, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice. The consent decree was signed by U.S. District Judge David F. Hamilton on December 19, 2006.
Reducing raw sewage overflows is one element of the mayor's Clean Streams-Healthy Neighborhoods program, which also includes eliminating septic tanks, upgrading sanitary sewers, and improving flood control and drainage.
The final approved plan is available on-line at www.indycleanstreams.org and will also be available at all Indianapolis-Marion County public libraries next month.
Raw sewage overflows from outdated sewers during wet weather are a century-old problem faced by hundreds of cities, especially in the Midwest and Northeast.
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.
Under the city's plan, 95 to 97 percent of wet weather flows will be captured and treated, eliminating overflows during all but the heaviest rain storms.
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