Plan to Manage Wet Weather Wastewater Problem Flows Up for Public Comment

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News Release y ~ Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission ' fPRINORIEW partners in wastewater management Date: July 10, 2000 Contact Persgn: John Owens, Public Relations Representative Phone: 726-695 Fax: 726-309 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PLAN TOM NAGE WET WEATHER WASTEWATER FLOWS UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT A plan~to manage peak wet weather flows in the regional wastewater collection and treatment system will be the focus of two public open houses next week. The first session will be held Monday, July 17, from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at Springfield City Hall, 225 Fifth Street, in Springfield. The second will be held Tuesday, July 18, from 4:30 to 8 p.m. at Hilyard Community Center, 2580 Hilyard Street, Eugene. The Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) is holding the open houses to gather public cpmrnents on a series of recommendations by a citizen advisory committee to handle the huge volumes df wastewater that flow into the treatment plant during large winter storms. These huge volumes sometimes as much as 190 million gallons a day compared to a normal wintertime average of 57 million gallons a day come from stormwater entering the wastewater system through cracks in underground pies or illegal connections such as roof drains hooked up to sewer lines. If flows get too high, sewage can back up into basements, or wastewater has to be diverted into the Willamette River before it is fully treated. An MVwMC citizen advisory committee has been working on possible solutions to peak wet weather flow problems since 1997. Among the committee's recommendations: Rehabilitate publicly owned wastewater collection lines in 28 "basins" in Eugene and Springfield. (more)