The City of Columbus, Ohio has spent over a billion dollars on it’s Wet Weather Management Plan since 2005.
Most of that has gone towards wastewater treatment plants and a combined sewer overflow tunnel, which have done much good for Columbus’ issues.
However, sanitary sewers overflow (SSO) continue to be a problem for the city. As a result, the City has formulated a new, green solution to combating SSO labeled “Blueprint Colombus”.
The Stormwater Report explores the case:
“In solving the problem of sanitary sewer overflows, the City of Columbus wanted to spend its capital dollars above ground, transforming neighborhoods and creating permanent jobs. Rather than build little-used tunnels, the city decided to pursue a community-based integrated plan called Blueprint Columbus. This program is unique in its focus on private, residential inflow and infiltration (I/I) removal. The four-pillar plan utilizes green infrastructure, lateral lining, roof water redirection, and sump pumps to eliminate I/I. This unique approach, with its emphasis on smaller, neighborhood-level projects, created new workforce development opportunities. Working with established nonprofits and a local community college, the City of Columbus will provide training for green infrastructure installation and maintenance to local small businesses and disadvantaged residents. The city estimates that over 30 years, Blueprint Columbus will boost the local economy by $3.3 billion in regional output, $900 million in earnings, and 700 additional jobs, three times the amount anticipated under the gray-only scenario.”
This exciting project will really help Columbus to manage its wastewater more effectively.
Inframanage.com also notes that with this initiative Columbus is planning to effectively resolve the root causes of the issue, as opposed to treating the symptoms.
Root cause resolution takes longer, requires a lot more community consultation and dialog, requires patience, and can be plain hard work but longer-term is a far more sustainable and durable solution to the issue of sanitary sewer overflows.
When cities use infrastructure asset management practice tools to undertake asset lifecycle analysis and work out the full cost of infrastructure through its lifecycle, then non-asset solutions like those being implemented by the City of Columbus can become viable and cost-efficient alternatives.
PHOTO CREDIT: Rich Street Bridge Columbus Ohio by Dave Crim via Flickr Creative Commons License.
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