July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Hearing held on city CSO plans (02/22/08)
CSO Advisory Committee
By By RACHELLE HAUGHN-
A plan to reduce the number of combined sewer overflows in and around the city of Portland was presented to the public Thursday.
The first public meeting of a five-person advisory committee appointed to review the plan was held Thursday to give local residents a chance to comment on the plan.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is requiring the city to implement a 20-year plan that explains the steps city officials are taking to eliminate CSOs in the city. A CSO discharges a combination of raw wastewater and rainwater into streams during heavy rains.
Portland's plan focuses on separation of storm and so-called "sanitary" sewer lines. Many lines in and near the city carry both storm and wastewater, and that mix is discharged directly into ditches, streams and rivers when the capacity of the treatment plant is exceeded.
Bruce Hosier, mayor of Portland, said this morning that it is important to eliminate CSOs for a number of reasons, including protecting drinking water. The plan was created a few years ago, but IDEM officials just recently reviewed it.
Four members of the public attended the 40-minute meeting Thursday.
The only audience member who spoke was Portland City Council president Bill Gibson, Hosier said.
The council president discussed several projects in the works to eliminate CSOs. Some of the projects include the Boundary Pike/Wayne Street project, which will separate the storm and sanitary sewers, the recent upgrades of the Gerber and north lift stations, and the Lafayette Street extension project, which will also address storm water and sewer issues, Hosier said.
"IDEM is pleased with the city's progress so far," he said.
The committee - made up of Pati McLaughlin, Bob McCreery, Tom Kennedy, Bob Loucks and Hosier - voted Thursday to install meters at some of the CSOs to collect data.
"This is not a new problem for the city of Portland," or other communities, Hosier said. The ultimate goal is to eliminate all the CSOs in the city, but that could cost upwards of $20 million, he said.
One of the main plans of action is to separate storm and sanitary sewers. Hosier said enforcing the city ordinance that bans downspouts on homes in the city, also could help.
"We're just trying to do our part and take the right steps in the right direction," he said.[[In-content Ad]]
The first public meeting of a five-person advisory committee appointed to review the plan was held Thursday to give local residents a chance to comment on the plan.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is requiring the city to implement a 20-year plan that explains the steps city officials are taking to eliminate CSOs in the city. A CSO discharges a combination of raw wastewater and rainwater into streams during heavy rains.
Portland's plan focuses on separation of storm and so-called "sanitary" sewer lines. Many lines in and near the city carry both storm and wastewater, and that mix is discharged directly into ditches, streams and rivers when the capacity of the treatment plant is exceeded.
Bruce Hosier, mayor of Portland, said this morning that it is important to eliminate CSOs for a number of reasons, including protecting drinking water. The plan was created a few years ago, but IDEM officials just recently reviewed it.
Four members of the public attended the 40-minute meeting Thursday.
The only audience member who spoke was Portland City Council president Bill Gibson, Hosier said.
The council president discussed several projects in the works to eliminate CSOs. Some of the projects include the Boundary Pike/Wayne Street project, which will separate the storm and sanitary sewers, the recent upgrades of the Gerber and north lift stations, and the Lafayette Street extension project, which will also address storm water and sewer issues, Hosier said.
"IDEM is pleased with the city's progress so far," he said.
The committee - made up of Pati McLaughlin, Bob McCreery, Tom Kennedy, Bob Loucks and Hosier - voted Thursday to install meters at some of the CSOs to collect data.
"This is not a new problem for the city of Portland," or other communities, Hosier said. The ultimate goal is to eliminate all the CSOs in the city, but that could cost upwards of $20 million, he said.
One of the main plans of action is to separate storm and sanitary sewers. Hosier said enforcing the city ordinance that bans downspouts on homes in the city, also could help.
"We're just trying to do our part and take the right steps in the right direction," he said.[[In-content Ad]]
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