DPW Walks Public Through Plan to Eliminate Sewer Overflows

Wednesday Jan 24th, 2018

Green banner with DPW logo and text "Department of Public Works Press Release"

At the first Annual Meeting to inform the public about the City’s progress under the Modified Consent Decree, Department of Public Works Director Rudolph S. Chow, P.E., assured community members that DPW is committed to eliminating sewer overflows.

“We take our responsibility very seriously, and I can assure you that we are on point. Our goal is to meet all of the terms and conditions of the Modified Consent Decree,” Director Chow said at the Jan. 23 Annual Meeting.

The City’s initial Consent Decree agreement with federal and state regulators to eliminate sewer overflows expired on Jan. 31, 2016. Following extensive discussion with the regulators, an extended public comment period, and additional months of negotiations, the Modified Consent Decree was entered in U.S. District Court on Oct. 6, 2017.

During the Annual Meeting, DPW’s Chief of Legal and Regulatory Affairs Paul DeSantis provided a detailed presentation on the steps that the department is taking to comply with the Modified Consent Decree. “DPW’s efforts to reduce SSOs are working … we are seeing a reduction in SSOs when you look at data from 2012 to present,” DeSantis said. “There has been over 30 percent reduction in SSOs.”

In addition, the Annual Meeting presentation highlighted the $430 million Headworks Project now underway at the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant. The completion of this project is expected to eliminate 80 percent of the City’s sewer overflows.

Meeting attendees also had an opportunity to visit six learning stations to acquire additional information and to ask questions about key aspects of the Modified Consent Decree: Collection System and Tools, Communications/Local Economic Development, Maintenance & Preventive Maintenance, Compliance, Facilities, and Regulatory Requirements.

The Annual Meeting presentation is available on the DPW Website: https://publicworks.baltimorecity.gov/sewer-consent-decree.

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