EPA approves plan to prevent sewage overflows in Cincinnati

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Greater Cincinnati’s (MSDGC’s) plan to control combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in the city of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, in Ohio.

The MSDGC, under a 2010 consent decree and CSO control plan, was required to either build a new deep tunnel system under Mill Creek, to reduce the overflow of sewage water into the city, or propose an alternative plan for the problem.

The alternate plan is anticipated to save more than $150m from the original deep-tunnel plan.

The new plan is expected to prioritise the most serious water quality problems and promote cost-effective solutions to reduce water pollution.

MSDGC’s plan includes separating sewers to keep rainwater out of the combined sewer system and using green infrastructure to manage rainwater diverted from the combined system.

EPA Enforcement and Compliance Assurance assistant administrator Cynthia Giles said the new plan will benefit the residents of Cincinnati and communities along the Ohio River.

"Not only will this innovative plan ensure that significant volumes of polluted stormwater and raw sewage are kept out of local waterways, but it will also cost less than more traditional approaches, saving money for ratepayers and the city," Giles added.

As per the approved plan, a green corridor will also be set up to divert the storm water runoff to Mill Creek in the Fairmont neighbourhood of Cincinnati.

The corridor will also include a floodway that will help prevent flooding of the city.

During monsoons, the combined sewer systems that collect both sewage and rainwater may allow untreated sewage water to seep into the rainwater and discharge into local water bodies and the Ohio River, risking public health.

The new plan is expected to address the problem and facilitate sustainable, innovative and cost-effective solutions to protect human health and improve water quality.

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Image: Cincinnati from across the Ohio River. Photo courtesy of Derek Jensen.