Lyman  Welch  Water  Quality  Program  Director  lwelch@greatlakes.org  

Advoca=ng  Water  Quality  Improvement  in  Detroit—  

Great  Lakes  impact  September  11,  2013  

Combined  Sewer  Overflow  

•  Sewage  and  storm  runoff  flow  together  in  a  single  pipe  to  the    treatment  plant    

•  Increased  volume  from  heavy  rains  causes  overflows,  CSOs  

•  Raw  sewage,  trash,  toxic  industrial  waste  and  other  pollutants  are  discharged  to  the  Great  Lakes  and  its  tributaries  without  treatment.    

•  Built  at  the  end  of  19th  century,  and  common  around  the  Great  Lakes  

Detroit  Water  and  Sewer  Department  Treatment  Facility  Detroit,  Michigan  

NPDES  Permit  Reissuance  Detroit  Water  and  Sewage  Department  (DWSD)      

Detroit,  Michigan        

2011  Lake  Erie  Contaminants  :    

•  3.2  billion  gallons  of  diluted  raw  sewage    

•  4.3  billion  gallons  of  par=ally  treated  sewage    

•  1.2  million  pounds  of  phosphorus        

Alliance  Policy  Efforts  

§  Working  closely  with  USEPA  and  DEQ  agency  staff    §  Recommending  science-­‐based  permit  revisions  consistent  with  

na=onal  policy  and  local  condi=ons  in  Detroit    

   

Detroit’s  Financial  Situa=on  •  City  filed  for  Chapter  9  Bankruptcy  on  July  18,  2013  •  City  had  been  dealing  with  a  worsening  financial  condi=on  for  years  •  Permit  reduced  CSO  infrastructure  requirements  in  2013-­‐2019  

period.  •  Comple=on  of  “core”  program  in  2019  will  treat  and  disinfect  95%  

average  annual  wet  weather  flow.  

Working  with  Partner  Organiza=ons    

   

 •  2011:  Michigan  regulators  revised  the  DWSD  facility’s  permit  

without  extensive  public  comment  or  discussion  

•  The  Alliance  for  the  Great  Lakes,  Sierra  Club,  Great  Lakes  Environmental  Law  Center,  Lake  Erie  WaterKeeper,  Michigan  Environmental  Council,  and  Friends  of  the  Detroit  River  sent  an  appeal  lefer  sent  to  the  Michigan  Department  of  Natural  Resources  and  Environment  encouraging  MDEQ  to  revisit  the  DWSD  permit    

 

The  Alliance  and  Partner  Groups'  Recommenda=ons:  

 •  Mechanism  for  increased  and  meaningful  

public  par=cipa=on  during  permit  process  

•  Strengthen  green  infrastructure  programs  in  the  Detroit  River/Lake  Erie  area  

•  Reduc=on  of  phosphorus  discharges  that  contribute  to  algae  blooms  in  Lake  Erie  

 

NPDES  Permit  Modifica=on  Success  Story  Detroit  Water  and  Sewage  Department      

Detroit,  Michigan        

The Revised Permit:

•  DWSD will improve its sewage treatment

operations and develop an implementation plan for its green infrastructure program.

•  Reduction of 2.8 million gallons of storm water from reaching the combined sewer system by June 30, 2017.

•  The plant must also maintain lower phosphorus discharges to prevent algae growth in Lake Erie.  

 

 

NPDES  Permit  Modifica=on  Success  Story  Detroit  Water  and  Sewage  Department      

Detroit,  Michigan        

Continuing Action:

•  Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has created a web page to provide detailed information on the DWSD plant

•  Commitment to public meetings with DWSD during the coming year to address community concerns  

 

Many  Thanks  for  Suppor=ng  this  Work!