Motion to Finalize Scope of Proposed Work Fairview/Grand Sewer Project

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SDDCLEANWATER.ORG SANITARY DISTRICT DF DECATUR, A 501 Dipper Lane • Decatur,IL 62522 March 23,2023 Mr.Matt Newell, Director of Public Works City of Decatur 1 Gary K.Anderson Plaza Decatur, IL 62523 Dear Matt, It is the Sanitary District of Decatur's(SDD)understanding that the City of Decatur(City)is considering various options for stormwater management in the Basin 5/6 area to address sewer backups and overflow issues as required in the USEPA Consent Order.This letter will outline the position of SDD. The purpose of sanitary districts is to convey and treat wastewater sewage.When sewers were first developed many times wastewater and stormwater were conveyed in a common pipe or combined sewer for economy.Often the water in these pipes was not treated but just moved downstream from the population.There is an inherent problem with this type of system in that while pipes can be appropriately designed and sized to carry wastewater which has a maximum amount of flow based on the number of connections,stormwater can not be limited or controlled as it is a force of nature.This leads to combined sewer infrastructure that can never be built large enough based on budget constraints and eventually backs up into residential homes or overflows resulting in waste that is in the water not being treated properly.The United States Environmental Protection Agency(USEPA).has required many municipalities to separate combined sewers over the years.In addition to Federal oversight,municipalities including Decatur have banned residents from connecting sump pumps and gutters to the sewer system(through resident owned lateral lines)to avoid stormwater being introduced to the system. In Basin 5/6 the City is working toward separating the current combined sewer system.City staff has kept SDD up to date with the progress of the study and design process.SDD encourages and supports this effort. Once the stormwater is separated from the wastewater the next question is what to do with the water. One option being considered is to keep the stormwater and sewer system separated and pipe the stormwater to a permitted Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System(MS4)discharge point.Because the