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STREET STORAGE SYSTEM FOR CONTROL OF COMBINED SEWER SURCHARGE
Citation:
Walesh, S.G., P.E., Ph.D. STREET STORAGE SYSTEM FOR CONTROL OF COMBINED SEWER SURCHARGE. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-00/065 (NTIS PB2000-107451), 2000.
Impact/Purpose:
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Description:
This manual presents a discussion of the use of on-street storage as an effective means to control stormwater runoff. It focuses on the success achieved by using street storage, in 2 communities in IL and includes a description and evaluation of how this technology solved surcharging, complied with regulations, eliminated basement flooding, proved to be cost-effective and earned public support. WWF including CSO and stormwater discharges are one of the leading causes of water-quality impairment in the US today and improvement of controls is one of 2 priority water focus areas cited by EPA's OW in it National Agenda for the Future. Pollution problems stemming from WWF are extensive throughout the Country. Many CSO occurrences can be eliminated, or their impacts attenuated by flow retardation techniques. However, even as these retardation techniques may attenuate the CSO, they usually exacerbate other problems, e.g., basement floowing. In addition, CSOs provide relief only for sewer systems; upstream areas may not have overflow routing and thus, the system is relieved by surcharging into basements, or to the ground surface. Surcharging and flooding causes health hazards, structural damage (due to hydrostatic pressures and/or washouts) and damages to personal possessions. Over past several years, numerous investigations have been undertaken to determine cost-effective methods of abating CSO. Much of this effort has concentrated on methods of controlling and retaining upstream stormwater. One such cost-effective method is source control. This approach avoids upstream flooding by not allowing stormwater into sewers until capacity is available, and avoids downstream surcharging and CSO by permitting downstream flow to be conveyed away before upstream flows can arrive. Source control temporarily stores stormwater in urban areas on the surface (on-street and off-street) and, as needed, below the surface close to the source. "Close to the source" refers to the stormwater as a source prior to its entry to a combined sewer or stormwater sewer. This on and off street storage may be one effective means to control stormwater runoff to the extent that the intercepting sewers could them be protected from surcharging and/or creating CSO conditions.