SSO Program (1988 to 1997)

Since the early 1960s, MSD has conducted periodic sewer evaluation and rehabilitation studies in order to assess collection system condition and improve capacity to prevent basement backups. These early projects were reactive in nature—developed purely in response to active problems.

MSD, recognizing that CSOs and SSOs were related and caused both water quality and basement problems, formed an I/I group in 1988 involving the local health department and the Maintenance, Engineering and Customer Service departments of MSD. This group existed until 1994. The mission was to identify areas with known I/I problems within MSDs service area and implement abatement activities.

The consolidated SSO Program began officially with the hiring of the MSD I/I Coordinator in 1993 to develop a comprehensive program to address SSOs. Initial goals of the Program were to continue the on-going SSES work, to integrate the efforts of MSD’s Maintenance Department with the Engineering Department, to research and potentially implement a comprehensive Private Property Program; to evaluate new technologies; to evaluate programs in other municipalities; actively participate in the National EPA effort to develop SSO Guidance and to improve MSD’s SSO reporting.

In 1995, MSD received a federal grant to help finance a demonstration project to reduce the pollution from SSOs. This project, though reactive in nature, was an important first step toward fiscal consolidation of MSD’s SSO reduction efforts. In 1997, this reactive posture was reversed when MSD formalized and further consolidated the SSO program by forming the SSO Team—an MSD/Consultant team with county-wide responsibilities on equal standing with the other MSD Area Teams. Instead of simply responding to problems, the FY98 SSO Program began a proactive, comprehensive system of:

• Flow monitoring;
• Hydraulic modeling;
• Sanitary sewer evaluation studies;
• Sanitary sewer rehabilitation design and construction; and
• Post-rehabilitation evaluation studies.

This program outlined a 15-year program of study, investigation, and rehabilitation designed to minimize SSOs and their impact on the environment. The new SSO Team produced the first Sanitary Sewer Overflow Plan (SSOP) in 1997. This report not only reviewed important project activities that took place during the year, but outlined MSDs vision and 15-year plan for SSO reduction activities. SSOPs were submitted in 1997 and 1998 and were consolidated with the CSOP and MS4 report in 1999.

Related Links

Prior to 1988 Initial CSO Program Efforts
1998 to 2002 SSO Program Efforts
2002 to July 2003 Holistic Watershed Approach

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