Project Updates
Previous Progress Update – July 2012 (return to the current progress update)
Thank you for your continued interest in MSD’s Werk & Westbourne Enhanced High Rate Treatment (WWEHRT) Facility project, situated on the southwest corner of the Werk & Westbourne intersection. This facility will allow MSD to control most combined sewer overflow events at this site, provide better protection of public health and the local environment, and increase neighborhood curb appeal by eliminating sewer debris and reducing sewer odors in the near vicinity. The following is a summary of the project’s recent progress.
The WWEHRT Facility project is nearing completion of the initial Planning and Conceptual Design Development phase. This phase involved an extensive series of site studies, computer-based modeling and general information gathering. The knowledge gained is being used to prepare recommendations for the facility’s conceptual design.
Progress Overview
Work over the past several months has focused on fine-tuning design elements for the WWEHRT facility. Most efforts have been internal, however, coordination efforts with regulatory agencies on permitting issues have continued. Progress made recently includes:
- Completed further enhancements to the treatment performance and hydraulic models to better predict facility performance. Information gained is being incorporated into the facility’s design plan.
- Completed the Conceptual Design Report (CDR) in April. The CDR marked an important milestone for this project, compiling all of the decisions made on the project to date, and various evaluations and alternatives performed in previous tasks on the project. An initial construction cost estimate was also developed. Included in the report was a summary of project alternatives which considered:
- Energy use: How best to provide power to the facility
- Chemical enhancement processes: Evaluated different chemical systems for use in treatment
- Green alternatives: Considered possible green/sustainable stormwater management enhancements to be incorporated around the facility site
- Site Design: Evaluated possible options for how the facility could be situated on the project site and where access points may be located
A copy of the CDR was provided to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) and Green Township. The project team subsequently met with OEPA representatives in April to review and discuss the CDR’s content and gather feedback.
- Submitted responses to comments received from regulatory agencies and the public pertaining to the United State Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Section 404 permit application. Public notice of the permit application was issued in December 2011.
- Submitted a Section 401 Water Quality Certification Application to OEPA in May 2012. Public notice was issued on June 13, 2012 and the public comment period ends on July 13, 2012. Copies of the application and technical support information may be inspected on Ohio EPA-DSW website: www.epa.ohio.gov/dsw.
- Completed a Draft Preliminary Design Report based on the April CDR.
Next Steps
During the next several months, the WWEHRT project team, MSD officials, and a value engineering team will review, in detail, the Draft Preliminary Design Report and associated project costs. The team will be looking at ways to optimize the design while appropriately managing construction and operational costs. Preliminary design recommendations are expected to be finalized in October. Other efforts planned for upcoming months include the following:
- The WWEHRT Project Team will coordinate with OEPA to address technical review and public comments pertaining to the Section 401 Water Quality Certification Application. The team will also continue coordination with regulatory agencies and local authorities to ensure code compliance and regulatory requirements are met.
- Geotechnical exploration work is scheduled to occur this summer. Nearby residents may notice workers and trucks on the WWEHRT project site collecting soil samples. The samples will be analyzed to characterize soil properties and information gained will be used to assist with planning the facility’s design.
Once design recommendations for the WWEHRT Facility are approved, the two-year Detailed Design Phase will begin. Construction of the WWEHRT Facility is scheduled to start in 2014 and the facility will be operational no later than December 2017.
For More Information
Questions can be directed to the project team by sending a message to MSD.WerkWestbourne@cincinnati-oh.gov or by calling the MSD Engineering Customer Service Line at (513) 557-3594.