The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About04-05-12 Utilities CommitteeUTLIITIES COMMITTEE APRIL 5, 2012 Committee Members Present: Tim Scott, Karen White (left at 6:30 p.m.), Valerie Schey Other Council Fred Ferlic, Henry Davis, Jr., (left at 6:50 p.m.) Citizen Member: Christine Sopczynski, Dawn Pontius Others Present: Kevin Allen, Al Greek, Jack Dillon, Aladean DeRose, Mark Neal Agenda: Update on CSO LTCP Consent Decree Chairperson Scott opened the meeting of the Utilities Committee at 6:04 p.m. and introduced Gary Gilot, Volunteer, Board of Public Works, 13th Floor County - City Building, 227 W. Jefferson Blvd., to give the update on the CSO LTSP Consent Decree. Mr. Gilot advised that the City of South Bend was built at the south bend of the St. Joseph River. He noted that South Bend has 36 Combined Sewer Overflow Locations. He noted that after years of negotiation and six years into early action projects implementation, a consent decree was filed in federal court outlining plans for the most extensive capital project in South Bend's history in order to ensure compliance with the federal Clean Water Act. A 20 year, $509.5 million long -term control plan to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in the City of South Bend was signed by then Mayor Stephen J. Luecke along with officials form the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the State of Indiana and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The consent decree was filed in South Bend before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. Nearly 800 other cities with aging sewer infrastructure find themselves facing the same kind of massive investments, upwards of $50 billion as a requirement of the Clean Water Act. Since 2006, South Bend already has invested or committed through current rates $100 million towards the $509.5 million plan. Initial efforts have included expansion of the 55 year old Wastewater Treatment Plan, separating existing combined sewers into separated storm and sanitary sewers, and building capacity for additional storage of combines sanitary sewage and storm water. South Bend's environment is getting cleaner. Homeowners are confronted with fewer basement backups of combined sewage and storm water and city residents are more actively enjoying the St. Joseph River, our most treasured natural resource. This consent decree sets the plan for reducing CSOs and the problems associated with them, including basement backups, neighborhood flooding and river pollution associated with combined sewage overflows. City sewer rates have risen in recent years after many years with no rate increases but not much investment in environmental infrastructure of an aging system either. Typical residential sewer bills rose from about $17 per month in 2005 to $34 per month in 2011. Bills will continue to rise to fund the mandated improvements at about 8% per year, reaching $42 per month by 2013. The rates will rise in South Bend and 800 other CSO communities over the 20 year consent decree implementation period. In this current four -year funding period already approved by the previous Mayor and Common Council, the City will invest another $70 million to complete the $102,193,000 of work projected by the City to meet EPA requirements for Phase 1. In Phase 2 between 2014 and 2031, the City will spend $367.7 million. Mandated features of the long -term control plan include: • Upgrading the capacity of the Wastewater Treatment Plant to 100 million gallons per day, matching the wet - weather capacity of the existing storm - sewer interceptor, the primary sewer line conveying outflow to the wastewater treatment plant. • The addition of new storage tanks, a storage conduit as well as a storage and conveyance mechanism running parallel to the existing interceptor from CSO 6 at Leland Avenue and Riverside Drive to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. • Construction of a storage conduit running parallel to the river from the Howard Park Ice Rink to CSO 25 near Northshore. • Another challenge facing South Bend is to control disinfection to achieve water quality standards at the Michigan State line about 2.6 miles from the City. • The consent decree provides the latitude for the City of South Bend to reduce the size and number of tanks (saving South Bend rate payer's money while accomplishing environmental stewardship objectives) based on the proven success of green infrastructure or CSOnet technology. • Green infrastructure measures are the range of storm -water control measures that use plant and soil systems, permeable pavement or storm - water management to harvest, reuse, store, infiltrate and other means to reduce CSOs and the volume of wet weather requiring storage and treatment. The City of South Bend will spend $150,000 to help restore Bowman Creek aquatic life, on the most environmentally impaired tributaries in the St. Joseph River watershed. The project is a supplemental environmental project (SEP) undertaken not as part of its combined sewer overflow long -term control pan, but as a locally proposed project benefitting the local environment in lieu of paying higher fines and penalties to EPA for pas combined sewage overflows. Bowman Creek enters South Bend near the AM General test track along West Chippewa Avenue before wining its way for two miles through southeast South Bend. The creek passes landmarks like Riley High School and the Studebaker Golf Course mostly underground or within enclosed storm sewer pipes until it drains into the St. Joseph River across from the Farmers Market. Bowman Creek runs dry during droughts, floods during rainstorms, is little valued and often serves as a dump, despite fencing that seeks to control dumping. It is one of the most impaired tributaries in the St. Joseph River watershed. But we can fix it. Bowman Creek could become an area with attractive passive linear parks, hiking tails and wildlife habitat. Fish could thrive where they now barely survive. South Bend was named Indiana's Green Community of the Year in 2009, and we are building on that recognition as good environmental stewards. Out team is always searching for creative cost effective ways to improve City services, enhance quality of life and be a socially responsible advocate for our environment. Mr. Gilot advised that Phase 1 CSO Collection System Controls start date 3/1/2012 end date 12/31/2017; CSO controls upstream of East Race start date 3/1/2014 end date 12/31/2025, Leeper Park CSO Storage Tank (Downstream of East Race) start date 3/1/2017 end date 12/31/2023, Remaining CSO Controls Downstream of East Race start date 3/1/2023 end date 12/31/2031 and Other collection system projects such as sewer extension and replacements, River Crossing #5 and Engineering project to be underway for the entire duration of the LTCP. Mr. Gilot further elaborated on CSOnet, an innovative solution to CSO's. He stated that CSOnet is a solution for CSO abatement. It's a wireless network of control points and sensors. It offers monitoring of hydraulics and water quality and distributed control strategy and software. It gathers data and reports. The monitoring system is an extensive real time monitoring system with 116 monitoring points, with real time data. It is focused along the river and integrated with utilities operations. The benefits include 96% reduction n unpermitted overflows, enables $200k of additional proactive maintenance per year and identifies inefficiencies in real time control Mr. Gilot then went over various power point slides. (A copy of Mr. Gilot's power point is on file in the Office of the City Clerk.) Chairperson Scott thanked Mr. Gilot for his update of the CSO LTCP Consent Decree. He opened the meeting up for questions. Citizen Member Dawn Pontius questioned what pervious paving was and why the City doesn't use more of it? She also asked where it has been used. Mr. Gilot stated that water can go through it or percolate allowing for better drainage. He stated that the cost is quite a bit higher. He stated that it was used around the location and intersection of Main and LaSalle around the Burger King Restaurant location. Councilmember Valerie Schey asked about the East Bank Development on the old TRANSPO site and who will be paying for the infrastructure. Mr. Gilot noted that most likely TIF will be paying for the infrastructure. There being no further business to come before the committee at this time, Chairperson Tim Scott adjourned the meeting at 6:59 p.m. Submitted, Tim Scott, Chairperson Utilities Committee