The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency have announced a proposed modification to the 2011 settlement with the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD). The aim is to address the flow of untreated sewage into Cleveland-area waterways and Lake Erie, affecting Cleveland and 61 surrounding communities.
The proposed modification amends two major elements of the original settlement: implementation requirements to decrease combined sewer overflow volumes beyond previous mandates, and chemically enhancing the high-rate treatment facility at NEORSD’s Easterly Wastewater Treatment Plant, resulting in fewer overflows.
The new terms provide NEORSD additional time until December 31, 2034, to achieve these combined sewer overflow volume reductions. NEORSD plans to expand five of its six deep tunnels to capture additional discharges for full treatment. Furthermore, construction of its last deep tunnel, the Big Creek Tunnel, must be completed by December 31, 2034—one year earlier than previously required.
At the Easterly plant, instead of constructing a chemically enhanced high-rate treatment facility capable of treating 400 million gallons per day as initially mandated, the proposed modification requires alternative measures. These include a flow diversion structure, a deep tunnel drop structure, and a smaller facility capable of treating 175 million gallons per day. Together these measures are expected to deliver an equivalent or better level of control over combined sewer overflows compared to the larger treatment facility.
The proposed modification will be open for public comment no less than 30 days from its official notice in the Federal Register. After considering and responding to comments received, federal authorities will decide whether to proceed with it. A copy of the consent decree is available on the Department of Justice website.
