The City of Wood River, like many communities in the U.S., operates a “combined” sewer system for wastewater collection and conveyance to the wastewater treatment plant. A combined sewer system collects both sanitary sewage from residential, industrial, and commercial sources, as well as stormwater runoff from streets and other areas, in the same sewer system. When heavy rains occur, however, the capacity of either or both the combined sewer system and the wastewater treatment plant can be exceeded due to the often-rapid increase in flows. This occurs because the sewer system and treatment plant cannot cost-effectively be designed and constructed to handle such relatively infrequently occurring situations. In certain wet weather periods, the combined sewer system will then release untreated wastewater into streams, rivers, or lakes – termed a combined sewer overflow (CSO). The City of Wood River has only one CSO discharge and it discharges directly to the Mississippi River.
CSOs can contain untreated human waste; commercial and industrial wastes; and trash, oil, and grease washed from the streets and parking lots when it rains – all of which can be detrimental to the water environment. Because of this, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) developed a nationwide CSO Control Policy in 1994. This Policy requires the development of a Long-Term Control Plan (LTCP) by communities whose combined sewer system experiences CSOs in order to assess the possible CSO control options and the eventual implementation of a USEPA-approved LTCP. Long Term Control Plans generally include the following:
- Characterization, monitoring, and modeling of the sewer system
- Public participation
- Consideration of sensitive areas
- Evaluation of alternatives to a CSO system
- Cost and performance considerations
- Operational plan
- Maximization of treatment at the wastewater treatment plant
- Implementation schedule and financing
- Post-construction compliance monitoring
MICHAEL VELLOFF
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SERVICES
Related Pages
THE CITY OF WOOD RIVER
111 NORTH WOOD RIVER AVE.
WOOD RIVER ILLINOIS, 62095
THE CITY OF WOOD RIVER
111 NORTH WOOD RIVER AVE.
WOOD RIVER ILLINOIS, 62095