Implementing IWM in the Saw Mill Run Watershed

Implementing IWM in the
Saw Mill Run Watershed
PWSA’s Integrative Plan for Environmental Enhancement,
Community Engagement, and
Economic Development
James J. Stitt, Sustainability Manager,
Brandon C. Vatter, PE Hatch Mott MacDonald
Wet Weather Partnership Workshop | May 20-22, 2014
What We Will Learn Today
How Integrated Watershed Management Solves
The Regulatory Conundrum:
1. Integrates All CWA Requirements At Once
2. “Focuses On The Regulatory WQ Gospel”
3. Selects Water Quality Based Solutions
4. Achieves Greater WQ Improvement Faster
5. Makes WQ More Affordable for Ratepayers
Communities Have Many Water Quality
Challenges
TMDLs
METALS
AMD
MICROs
EROSION
SWIMMABLE
TDS
NUTRIENTS
CSO
SSO
It’s Not Just About Human Pollution
Man’s BFF:
Dog
Feral Cats
IWM Program Goals & Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
Identify the optimal combination of
green, gray, & watershed solutions
that will achieve the greatest WQ
improvement.
Implement an adaptive management
approach using Integrated Watershed
Management (IWM).
Standardize monitoring and
verification of BMP performance to
provide defensible proof of concept.
Revise & Resubmit Wet Weather
Feasibility Study resulting in modified
CO&A to include GI and IWM.
IWM Green Infrastructure Program
An adaptive
management
approach to
integrate both
Green and Grey
stormwater
solutions into the
most cost-effective
way to meet water
quality objectives.
Keeping waterways
fishable &
swimmable
everyday of the
year.
3 Rivers : 365
Saw Mill Run
Integrated
Watershed Planning
Demonstration
Project
Saw Mill Run by the Numbers
# of Tributary Municipalities
12
Drainage
Area
19.7 sq.
miles
51% in PWSA
67% separated,
7% un-sewered
Population
106,460
54% in PWSA
5404 / sq. mile
CSO
Structures
72
46 are PWSA
26 ALCOSAN
CSO TY
Activations
1276
434 MG/TY
SSO
Structures
7
0 are PWSA
SSO TY
Activations
3
0.27 MG/TY
3 ALCOSAN, 4 Other Munis
TMDLs
Nutrients, Metals, AMD & Sediment. Also listed impaired
due to low BOD & DO
MS4
All Munis within the watershed are MS4 permit holders
Consent
Decree
ALCOSAN and Allegheny County under Consent Decree
with EPA
Consent
Order Agmt
All Munis under Consent Order & Agreement with
DEP & ACHD
Region-Wide
Integrated Watershed Planning
Implementation
From EPA IP Framework : IWM process has the potential to identify a prioritized
critical path to achieving the water quality objectives of the CWA. This approach can
lead to more sustainable and comprehensive solutions, such as green infrastructure,
that improves water quality as well as supports other quality of life attributes that
enhance the vitality of communities.
Many Ways Achieve A Healthy Habitat!
CWA
Water
Quality
Habitat
Storm Water
Quality & Quantity
CSOs
SSOs
Non-point Source
(Ag, Septic, Illicits, etc.)
Integrated
Approach
Gray
Gray
Infrastructure
Green
Green
Infrastructure
Dry Weather
Sources
Lowest Cost
Pollution
Abatement
Watershed
Watershed
Infrastructure
Integrated Watershed Mgmt
 Traditional Plans already have the
necessary building blocks
Watershed Pollution Sources
 Put combined and separate sanitary
sewer overflows into context with
other pollutant sources
Dry
Weather
CSOs
 What are the water quality benefits
SSOs
of my projects?
Other  Not cost per gallon or lb of pollutant, but
Cost Per Day of Increased WQS
Stormwater
Compliance
 Select a combination of
Dry & Wet
Weather Sources
gray/green/watershed
controls that
maximize improvements to water
quality
Watershed Assessment Steps
ASSESSMENT PROCESS
Industrial
Agriculture
1. Monitoring and
Sampling
2.Modeling and Analysis
3.Stressor Assessment
4.Alternative Studies
5.Cost Versus Benefit
6.Evaluate Logistics
7.Stakeholder Approval
8.Final Regulatory Nod
Watershed Assessment Steps
1. Characterize Watersheds
Percent of Time Meeting WQS
 Flow Monitoring – Collection
system, Overflows
 Water Quality Monitoring –
Overflows, In-stream
 Develop analysis Tools/Models
Watershed Assessment Steps
2. Identify Pollution Sources in Local Waterways
Watershed
Steps
Watershed Assessment
Assessment Steps
Use Tools to Evaluate Collection
System Response & Waterway
Response
Select Optimized LOC for each
Pollutant and Source
Stormwater
Do Not Cause or Contribute to WQS Exceedance Analysis
Number of Days of Compliance
with WQS in Recreation Season
180
Water Body
WITH
Background Sources
160
140
Water Body
WITHOUT
Background Sources
120
100
Selected Level
of Control where
no additional WQ
benefit occurs
80
60
40
 Same Type of Analysis Performed for each Pollutant Source
20
& Pollutant
0
Stormwater Discharge
0.5
1.5
3.0
5.0
7.5
No Nitrogen Removed
0.1
0.25
0.5
1.0
2.0
No Phosphorus Removed
Average Nitrogen Concentration (mg/L/event)
Average Phosphorus Concentration (mg/L/event)
Graphics
Courtesy of
Sanitation
District No. 1
Northern KY
IWM Development Steps
Identify Cost-Effective Controls
 High Benefit Collection
system projects
 Green Infrastructure
 Constructed Wetlands
 Other Source Controls –



Constructed Wetland, New York
Dry Weather Sources
Legacy Pollutants
Possible WQ Trading
opportunities
 Larger Scale Gray
Infrastructure – Balance
Dry Weather Source Impairments
Overflow Storage Tank, 1.6 MG
Project Selection Also Involves
Community Priorities
 Reflect community priorities & Active Stakeholder
Input
 Public health risk
 Flooding, Basement Backups Reduction
 Restore ecosystems & Create recreational opportunities
 Enhance public access to urban waters
 Spur economic growth & Create Local Jobs
 Beautify & Increase property values in neighborhoods
 Important to gauge success & Achieve Buy-in
Select Projects On WQ Improvement and
Other Community Benefits At Lowest Cost
Projects that make up the Integrated Controls Program
$100
Construct the Projects that provide the
Greatest WQ Improvements &
Community Benefits for the $ Spent
$50
Cost increases
$10
Water quality gets better
$0
0
Water Quality Standards Compliance & Community Benefits Full Attainment
Integrated Watershed Approach Delivers Greater Water
Quality & Community Benefits At Lower Cost
Cost increases
Cost ($ M)
Typical Gray Solution
All Pollution
Sources
For less investment, greater
WQ & Community Benefits
can be achieved with the
integrated approach
$0
0
Water Quality Standards/Consent Decree
Compliance & Community Benefits
Full Attainment
Overflows
Only
Affordability:
Historically Disconnected from Water Quality
Improvement!
Current:
Affordability = Infrastructure That
Public Can Afford To Build To Reduce
CSO/SSO
The optimum public
Affordability = investment to Improve
Water Quality
Alternative:
Affordable Water Quality
Achieve Lower Compliance Costs & Affordable
Schedule Specific to Your Community
 Current EPA Affordability Rules Address A Wide Range
of Economic Impacts Beyond Just MHI:
Monthly Sewer Rates
Unemployment Rate;
Local economy losses;
Households Below Poverty Line;
Community Development Impact;
Property Values;
Ongoing Asset Mgmt Costs;
Tax revenues;
Future jobs /personal income if
EPA Interim Economic Guidance
businesses choose not to locate in area;
Water Quality Standards
 Other community
specific factors…
for
Evaluate
Substantial
&
Widespread
Socio-Economic
Workbook April 27, 1995
 Combined Water & Sewer Rates Impacts
Impacts beyond MHI:








Once Substantial & Widespread Economic &
Social Impacts Demonstrated
 Guidance - Utility can modify its Program Costs to fall
within the “” boxes listed in the Financial Capability
Matrix table.
 “EPA will interpret a " " rating to mean that the
community is not expected to incur substantial
impacts as a result of the pollution control project.”
Municipal Preliminary Screener
Secondary Score
(Cost Per Household as a % of MHI)1
(Socioeconomic, Debt and
Financial Indicators)1
Less than 1%
Between 1.0 and
2.0%
Greater than 2.0%
Less than 1.5
?
X
X
Between 1.5 and 2.5

?
X
Greater than 2.5


?
Solutions to address CSOs & SSOs only
Solutions to address overflows & storm water
Integrated Solutions to address overflows, storm water, &
other pollution sources (Ag, septics, illicits, dry weather sources, etc.)
3%
% MHI increases
2%
Affordable Spending Rate
Full Attainment
% of Median Household Income (%MHI)
Integrated Watershed Approach Delivers Affordable
Water Quality Specific to the Community
1%
Water Quality Standards Compliance
& Community Benefits
0
0
Implementation Schedule (Time)
OUTCOMES of IWM APPROACH
1. Affordable Integrated Solution
• Maximize WQS Compliance
• Optimize Habitat
2. Helps address local issues
• Flooding
• Basement Backups
3. Tailored to Community Priorities
4. Integrates CWA Requirements—
Saves $$, Affordability Focused
5. Achieves Greater Improvement
to Water Quality Faster
Critical IWM Success Factors
1. Establish A Regional Watershed Leader
2. Identify The REAL WQ Problems
3. Conceive A Suite of Strategies
4. Select A Responsible, Cost Effective
Solution
5. Foster Ongoing Public Support
GI is Well Supported In Pittsburgh
St. Francis, Mt. Alvernia
EECO Center
GI is Well Supported In Pittsburgh
Nine Mile Run
Bakery Square 2.0
Photo: Jennifer Marlow via Wired
James J. Stitt: [email protected]
Brandon C. Vatter: [email protected]
3 Rivers : 365

Download Report