About the Bundle
Like most combined sewered areas, sewers overflow in the Westwood Boulevard area mostly because the existing combined sewers (sewers designed to collect and transport both sanitary sewage and storm water to sewer plants for treatment) are overwhelmed by storm water during wet weather. When this happens, the excess wastewater is released into nearby streams and creeks to ease pressure on the sewer system and prevent backups into homes and businesses.
MSD has determined that the best way to address the combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in this area is to redirect surface water runoff into a separate storm sewer that will be constructed roughly along the same alignment as the existing sewers. This is called a partial sewer separation and it will significantly reduce the amount of storm water flowing through the combined sewer system. This in turn, will significantly reduce the volume of sewer overflows in the area.
MSD is also exploring opportunities to use "green" technology to keep storm water out of the combined sewers. Such possibilities may include detention ponds and bioswales. These options and how they can be used effectively are currently under study.
