A 1990's Strategy for Combined Sewer Improvements

by Gary A. Reents, Dep of Public Works, Sacramento, United States,
Craig E. Crouch, Dep of Public Works, Sacramento, United States,
Donald M. Dodge, Dep of Public Works, Sacramento, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Water Resources Planning and Management and Urban Water Resources

Abstract:

On June 22, 1990, the Regional Water Quality Control Board issued the City of Sacramento a Cease and Desist Order. The Order required the City to examine the condition of, and flooding problems within, its combined sewer system and to develop a plan of operations for reducing street flooding to be submitted to the Baord by October 1, 1990. More importantly, the Order required that the City develop and implement a long-term, major improvement plan to modify the City's combined sewer system in order to control flooding, minimize overflows (CSOs) to the Sacramento River and reduce the potential health hazards posed by combined sewer flooding and backups. This plan would also address needs for replacing and rehabilitating the aging combined sewers, many of which are 100 years old, and for providing structural and control reliability at the City's two major pumping stations. Capital expenditures to make the necessary improvements to the system will be significant. Municipalities with aging combined sewers similar to the City of Sacramento across the nation are individually spending hundreds of millions of dollars to reduce CSOs and extend the life of their infrastructure.

Subject Headings: Combined sewers | Floods | Urban areas | Public health and safety | Overflow | Municipal water | Water quality | California | United States

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