EPA Announces Modified Settlement with Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District to Address Combined Sewer Overflows
Publilshed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposed modification to the 2011 settlement with the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District to address the flow of untreated sewage into Cleveland-area waterways and Lake Erie. This modification will affect the city of Cleveland and 61 surrounding communities.
The proposed modification amends two major elements of the 2011 settlement:
- implementation requirements to decrease combined sewer overflow volumes beyond what was previously required,
- and chemically enhance the high-rate treatment facility at NEORSD’s Easterly Wastewater Treatment Plant, resulting in fewer overflows.
The proposed modification will provide NEORSD extra time to achieve the additional combined sewer overflow volume reductions until Dec. 31, 2034. NEORSD will expand five of its six deep tunnels to capture the additional discharges for full treatment. NEORSD is also required to complete construction of its last deep tunnel, the Big Creek Tunnel, by Dec. 31, 2034, one year earlier than currently required.
At the Easterly plant, the original consent decree required construction of a chemically enhanced high-rate treatment facility capable of treating 400 million gallons per day of flow. The proposed modification requires construction of alternative measures — a flow diversion structure, deep tunnel drop structure and a smaller, 175-million gallons per day facility — which together will result in the same or better level of CSO control as the larger treatment facility.
The proposed modification will be available for public comment no less than 30 days from the date official notice of the lodging in the Federal Register. After considering and responding to comments received, the United States will determine whether to proceed with the proposed modification. A copy of the consent decree is available on the Department of Justice website.
Read the full article at: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-modified-settlement-northeast-ohio-regional-sewer-district-address
