The City of Oregon has already started work associated with the I/I Reduction Program.  Here are some of the completed and ongoing projects associated with reducing I/I impacts:

Beginning in 2007, the Department of Public Service started to inspect and tag sanitary and storm sewer manhole locations with a Geographic Positioning System (GPS).  These locations were entered into the City’s Geographic Information System (GIS) database.  Any faulty sanitary manholes or leaky sanitary manhole covers were noted and were added to a list for correction.  To date, the City has inspected and GPS collected over 2,500 structures in the sewer network.  Corrections have been made on 174 manholes, and another 66 manholes have been identified for a manhole lining project in the near future (Sanitary Sewer Manhole Rehabilitation Project, Phase I).  Typical work includes raising low-lying manholes, changing manhole lids with holes to solid lids, replacing broken manhole castings, cleaning plugged manholes, and bolting lids shut.  This work is ongoing. 

The Street Department has been videoing sanitary sewers checking for faulty and/or deteriorated pipes, pipe

blockages, and broken lateral connections to homes.  This work is part of an ongoing sewer maintenance program.          

Jones and Henry Engineers Ltd. was hired by the City to perform sanitary sewer flow monitoring

services during the fall of 2008 and spring/summer of 2009.  Flow monitors were placed into the sanitary

sewers in various locations and wet weather flows were compared with dry weather flows.  Areas where

the flows increased the most during wet weather are targets to reduce I/I. 

 

Figure 2 from the Jones and Henry final report shows the effects of wet weather on the WWTP.  This graph

combines both the rain gauge data as well as the WWTP effluent (treated water discharging from the plant) to show

how much storm water actually flows into plant.  This storm water flow is then unnecessarily treated as wastewater at a high cost. 

In the Fall of 2009, the City began a $740,000 sanitary sewer and manhole lining project that covered nearly 9,000 linear feet of sewer pipe and 51 sanitary sewer manholes.  This project was funded through the Ohio Public Works Commission. 

Rehabilitation work consisted of cleaning and videoing sanitary sewers and lining sewers that were leaking.  Infiltration target areas, such as sewers running underneath creeks, were chosen to be part of this project.  Also, 51 sanitary manholes were lined to prevent infiltration.  Based on current influent data, the normal dry weather flow seen at the WWTP was reduced by approximately 500,000 gallons per day (GPD) following this project.  This decrease was attributed to the elimination of groundwater infiltration into sewer pipes at creek crossings.  A Phase II is planned in the near future.  

Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project, Phase II

The City of Oregon Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Project, Phase II consists of replacing existing sanitary sewer lines located within the right of way of Cresceus Road, Mambrino Road, and Grasser Street (between Pickle Roadn and Dearborn Avenue).  The project also includes sanitary sewer lining on Wheeling Street (between Navarre Avenue and Bleeker Street) and Pickle Road (between Grasser Street and Wheeling Street). 

The new sanitary sewer replacement will have the same alignment as the existing sewer within the public right of way.  A new sanitary sewer will be installed on Fink Street, between Patchen Road and Cresceus Road, in order to reduce the depth of the sewer replacement onf Cresceus Road.  All existing sanitary sewer lateral connections within the public right of way will also be replaced as part of the project. 

Existing storm sewers that are within the construction limits of the new sanitary sewers will also be replaced. 

In order to provide flood relief, a new storm sewer will be installed within the right of way of Fink Street (from the dead end east of Mambrino Road to the dead end west of Patchen Road).  A new detention area will also be created at the east end of Fink Street to provide temporary flood storage, and eventually drain properties between Grasser Street and Mambrino Road.

The City will receive $900,000.00 in grant/loan funding from the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) and a low interest loan from the Ohio EPA Water Pollution Control Loan Fund to pay the estimated $2,337,289.00 project cost.  The said loans will be paid through the City's general income tax and there will be no new assessments to the property owners for the project. 

Construction started in the Cresceus Heights area in July, 2012 and is scheduled to be completed in May, 2013. 

System Evaluation and Capacity Assurance Plan (SECAP)

Civil engineering firm ARCADIS has been hired by the City to conduct a sanitary sewer system evaluation using computer modeling.  The OEPA is requiring this work to be completed by July 1, 2012.  The modeling will consist of simulating sewage flows in both the sanitary sewers as well as at the wastewater treatment plant and will help to identify any bottlenecks in the system.  Computer modeling of the sewer system will help the City plan for future improvement projects, including WWTP expansion.

An aggressive storm drainage improvement program has been implemented along with I/I reduction.  Over 30,000 linear feet of creek/ditch bank have been debrushed and over 60 blockages have been removed to allow for better flows during rain events.  All three major drainage systems (Wolf Creek, Otter Creek, Amolsch/Driftmeyer Ditch) have been surveyed for storm water flow modeling and future drainage improvements.  Modeling helps identify flow constraints such as inadequately sized bridges and road crossings.  Preliminary design has also begun for relief storm sewers in these watersheds.

The City of Oregon is currently smoke testing sanitary sewers in the North Oregon Sanitary Sewer District.  Please refer to the Sanitary Sewer Smoke Testing web page for more information.