Plan Targets Sewer Overflows
By James Mayse, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
Aug. 23–The Regional Water Resource Agency has entered into an agreement with the state Division of Water to begin correcting combined sewer overflows in Owensboro.
RWRA is one of 15 cities and sewer agencies across Kentucky that are entering into agreements with the state. Once the agreements are approved by a Franklin County judge, the cities and agencies will have two years to submit plans detailing how they will eliminate combined sewer overflow or minimize the effect of such overflows on the environment.
Much of Owensboro is on a combined sewer system, which means rainwater is able to enter parts of the city’s sewers. During heavy rains, more water enters the system than can be treated at RWRA’s water treatment plant — overwhelming the system to the point where untreated storm water, mixed with sewage, flows into the Ohio River.
Somewhere between 50 and 60 percent of the city is on a combined sewer system, said David Hawes, executive director of RWRA.
“Right now, the combined system is generally north of Byers Avenue,” Hawes said. “Essentially from (Kentucky) Wesleyan north, most of that is combined sewer.”
While cities are permitted to have combined sewer systems, the federal Clean Water Act requires sewer agencies to have a “long-term control plan” and take steps to mitigate the effect of combined sewer overflow on waterways. All of the 15 cities and agencies — including Frankfort, Pikeville, Harlan, Ashland, Henderson and Paducah/McCracken County’s sewer utility — filed consent decree documents to Franklin Circuit Court on Aug. 9.
Once the agreements are approved by a judge, the agencies will have 12 months to submit an outline of their action plans to the state and 24 months to file a permanent long-term control plan.
The plans do not call for complete elimination of combined sewer systems.
“What this program requires is these (combined systems) be managed to the best of the community’s ability, or eliminated,” said Jeffrey Cummins, acting director of the state’s Division of Enforcement.
The final plans will require using “the technology that’s available and the methodology that’s available to minimize the impact of these overflows,” Cummins said.
Louisville and a portion of northern Kentucky have already entered into similar agreements with the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The state arranged the latest agreements with the 15 communities and agencies.
There is no set measurement for progress, because each plan will be created for that specific community. Cummins said there will be evaluations later to see if progress is being made to reduce combined sewer overflows.
“A lot of communities do not have a good feel for what causes an overflow in their system,” Cummins said. “The first step is to get a good handle on the scope of the problem, (create) plans and implement plans. The state does not expect to see overflows reduced or eliminated immediately after the final action plans are submitted and approved.
“We recognize that it’s going to take a lot of time,” Cummins said.
Hawes said actions RWRA might take under its long term control plan have “yet to be determined.” The state Division of Water will has the right to review the plans and make changes before the final plan is approved.
“You’ll know after you submit your framework document if your community is on the right track,” Hawes said.
“Most likely, there will be some expensive projects,” Hawes said.
The agency already plans out major work on a yearly schedule. Some of the combined sewer work that will be in the long range plan will be included in those future capital plans.
“What you’ll try to do is integrate those into a long term projects list,” he said.
The agreed order says RWRA has already done $59 million to cut down on combined sewer overflows. Cummins said RWRA has done more work to reduce combined sewer overflow than many other sewer utilities.
“RWRA is ahead of a lot of communities,” Cummins said.
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Copyright (c) 2007, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
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