Combined Sewer Overflow Compliance
Anticipating the US EPA Combined Sewer Overflow Policy, the city began a close look at the combined sewer system to identify issues. Following the completion of the initial Long Term Control Plan in 2000, the city embarked on three major capital improvement projects . The Downtown Sewer Separation Project in 2000, the Broad Street Storm Sewer Project in 2002 and the Lake Allen Maple Sewer Separation Project in 2004. An Ohio EPA mandated addendum in 2005 resulted in two additional projects, the Upper Hocking Water Pollution Control Facility in 2011 and the South Broad Street Express Sewer in 2014. In between the city began aggressively identifying the triggers for CSOs and eliminating them. By 2014 the city had closed 24 CSOs and reduced the combined sewer system to approximately 52,000 feet. All total the city has spent $67 million dollars in Water Pollution and Stormwater Utility funds on these projects.