Transcript Slide 1

Lyman Welch
Water Quality Program Director
[email protected]
Combined Sewer Overflow
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Sewage and storm runoff flow
together in a single pipe to the
treatment plant
Increased volume from heavy rains
causes overflows, CSOs
Raw sewage, trash, toxic industrial
waste and other pollutants are
discharged to the Great Lakes and its
tributaries without treatment.
Built at the end of 19th century, and
common around the Great Lakes
How big is the problem?
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Sewage spills and overflows caused 64 closing/advisory days at Great Lakes
beaches in 2010
18.7 billion gallons of combined sewage and storm runoff were released into the
Great Lakes in 2011 from these nine cities
The CWSRF provides low-interest loans and
flexible financing options to help local governments
carry out costly wastewater capital improvement projects,
including innovative green infrastructure.
• For every $1 budgeted by the federal government, states
contribute 20 cents
• Loan repayments are recycled back into the fund to
finance new projects
CSO Policy & CWSRF Success Story
Grand Rapids Waste Water Treatment Plant
Grand Rapids, Michigan
BEFORE
In the 1980’s, 6 to 12 billion gallons of
combined sewage and storm runoff was
discharged to the Grand River each year
The PLAN
Separate all sewers and eliminate outfalls.
$68 million CWSRF loan to help pay for plan
AFTER
CSO discharges to the Grand River reduced to
49 million gallons in 2011 – 99% decrease
Despite successes,
CWSRF appropriations are declining
Communities in the Great Lakes need funding to
reduce CSOs
These municipalities are
some of many that need
funding to carry out their
plans to reduce CSOs
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Detroit, MI
Milwaukee, WI
Chicago, IL
Hammond, IN
Buffalo, NY
Toledo, OH
Cleveland, OH
Take Action!
Read the Alliance’s Report
http://www.greatlakes.org/csoreport
Sign the Alliance’s petition for sustained and increased
funding of the CWSRF
https://secure3.convio.net/agl/site/Advocacy?cmd=display
page=UserAction&id=209
If you have a smartphone, you can sign our petition by
scanning the QR code below