PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Approves Long Term Control Plan Modifications

On June 12, 2017, the Order but instead to include them Department of Environmental Quality in as appropriate in each renewal issued a permit modification to the permit for the combined system. City’s National Pollutant Discharge These Permits are renewed every Elimination System (NPDES) Permit five years. This approach allows for that covers the City’s combined changes in project deadlines to sewer system. This modification be addressed easily and quickly. was at the City’s request to change Ongoing communication compliance dates to the CSO and coordination Long Term Control Plan schedule between the City and included in the permit. Approval was Nebraska Department obtained in less time than it normally of Environmental Quality takes the Nebraska Department have resulted in permit of Environmental Quality to make modifications that have similar modifications. This is a recent saved the City money, example of how the City’s trusted while continuing to make working relationships with Nebraska progress toward meeting Department of Environmental regulatory requirements. Quality have benefited the City. The recent permit The City’s Consent Order with modification addressed Nebraska Department of several project dates that Environmental Quality for the CSO could have resulted in Program was negotiated in 2007. permit violations. They It is based on a unique approach include the following: to ensuring City implementation • In May 2016, the of projects under the Long Term tunnel boring Control Plan. It is typical for Consent machine (TBM) being Orders and decrees to include all used on the South projects required under the Long a revised date of fall 2017 was Interceptor Force Main Project determined to be the likely Term Control Plan, each with a encountered a subsurface completion date. Any modifications completion date. To ensure anomaly in the bedrock. As a adequate time, a date of June 30, to these dates require a reopening result, the TBM became stuck, and renegotiation of the Consent 2018 was proposed as a permit and the contractor was unable modification and approved Order. During negotiation of to meet the June 30, 2017 date Omaha’s Consent Order, Nebraska by Nebraska Department of in the permit. After evaluations Environmental Quality. Department of Environmental by the Contractor, City, and the The permit required construction Quality and the City agreed to not Program Management Team, • include project deadlines in the of the Saddle Creek Retention

6 Omaha Combined Sewer Overflow Control Program | Implementation Phase Rendering of the proposed Saddle Creek Retention Treatment Basin chemical storage building, headworks, and office area. This view is from the north side of the facility looking across the CSO 205 – Saddle Creek outfall channel.

Treatment Basin (RTB) to be approximately 18 months, with Management Team are currently complete on September 30, 2020. construction taking about 36 re-evaluating what controls need After a single bid for the project months. This permit modification to be implemented. The City came in significantly higher changes the final date of has committed to submitting a than the engineer’s estimate, completion from September 30, report and preliminary schedule the bid was rejected. In March 2020 to December 31, 2023. for needed projects in the of this year, the City informed • The City also requested removal basin. It is anticipated that this the Nebraska Department of of multiple projects in the Minne re-evaluation will result in a Environmental Quality that it Lusa Basin from the permit and significant reduction in CSO was moving forward with a Long Term Control Plan. Because Program costs. redesign of the RTB based on of increasing costs for the Minne • The Martha Street to Riverview a revised, much less expensive Lusa Conveyance Sewer Project, Lift Station gravity sewer was concept. This redesign will take the City and the Program (Continued on page 8.)

LTCP Control Element Final Design Through Operationally Complete

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027

Original Schedule South Interceptor Force Main Modified Schedule

Retention Treatment Basin Original Schedule for CSO Outfall 205 Modified Schedule

www.OmahaCSO.com Clean Solutions for Omaha Quarterly Report | Second Quarter 2017 7 BRIDGE STREET 30th St COLE CREEK 72nd St MINNE 24th St LUSA Carter Lake

Eppley Airfield Maple St

BURT-IZARD Abbott Dr Missouri River PAPILLION CREEK NORTH The City of Omaha requested that multiple projects in the Basin be removed and re-evaluated. Dodge St 42 1

eek 0 Cr Minne Lusa Basin CSO Projects Removed from the Permit and Long Term Control Plan for Re-evaluation • Minne Lusa Conveyance Sewer • Paxton Corridor Sewer Separation • John Creighton Boulevard Conveyance Sewer • 41st and Sprague SE Phase 1 and 2, NW Phase 1 and 2 • Paxton Conveyance Sewer 30th to 41st Street • Minne Lusa 105 2a and 2b • Paxton Conveyance Sewer 41st to 49th Street • Minne Lusa 105-5 • CSO 105 Minne Lusa Avenue Storage Facility • 46th and Grand East

removed from the permit The CSO efforts above are examples allow modifications to be made because it is tied to the current of the City’s adaptive management without costly reopenings of the Riverview Lift Station Project. approach to the CSO Program, Consent Order. This kind of flexibility That project does not have a whereby modifications are made will continue to be valuable to the specific deadline and is part to address changing conditions, Program as the City and the Program of ongoing negotiations with improve the overall Program and Management Team consider Burlington Northern Railroad reduce costs. Positive working future performance assessments, concerning property acquisition. relationships with the Nebraska optimization and investments in Sewer construction is now part of Department of Environmental other aspects of City infrastructure. the Riverview Lift Station Project. Quality and a flexible Consent Order

8 Omaha Combined Sewer Overflow Control Program | Implementation Phase