Sewer Separation Improves River Quality, Complies with EPA Standards
Stanley Consultants was retained by Muscatine, Iowa, to provide preliminary studies, final design, permitting, and construction services for the project to separate a combined sewer system.
The City of Muscatine, founded in 1834, still uses an old, combined sewer system (CSS) to capture stormwater runoff and wastewater in some of the original parts of the City. During periods of high water volumes, particularly during heavy rainstorms and snow melt, the combined sewage flows exceed the capacity of the CSS and overflows result.
Project scope included:
- Study report including identification of areas that require sewer separation, sizing of conceptual separate sewers, construction cost estimates for improvements, and schedule for future projects based on consent order time frame.
- Preparation of detailed plans and project manual for bidding purposes.
- Coordination with regulatory agencies and submittal of permit applications.
- Coordination of design features with utility companies.
- Incorporation of construction sequencing into design of the separate sewer systems.
- Construction phase services including on-call construction management for the duration of the project.
The benefits of the CSS separation project are far reaching. Water quality in the Mississippi River has improved dramatically by eliminating the combined sewer pollutant source. Surface infrastructure (street surface, sidewalk, and curb and gutter) in the impacted project was also vastly improved.
The City of Muscatine is pleased with the results. The CSS separation projects now allow the City to comply with current EPA standards requiring separate stormwater and wastewater sewer systems.