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L Faulty Defectivy ------ Root Buff ing Manhole Frame/ CieanoGt -Penetration Lateral Chimney Seal i Foundation Drain Connected to Building Lateral Exfiltratiorifrom Deteriorated •Storm Drauy Manhole Storm Drain Sanitary Sewer Faulty Lateral / Cracked or Connection Broken Pipe to Sanitary Sewer r - a Deteriorated or 9 HOW EXTRANEOUS WATER ENTERS SEWER SYSTEMS M saligned Joint _ down in a system,even when its well Agencies,and various municipal associa- define minimum activities and to require operated and maintained,then we have tions and environmental groups. a long-term plan for reducing SSOs,says to focus on the avoidable—SSOs caused Weiss has invited AMSA to cond- Merrill, "The rub will be answering the by poor operation and maintenance; uct a blind survey of members to gauge question of how much control is appro- poor design;systems that have grown the extent of the SSO problem.Paula priate given the history of problems with like topsy and created bottlenecks; Dannenfeldt,AMSM director of legisla- infiltration-inflow corrections:' and aging systems with lots of inflow," tive and public affairs,says the associa- if the EPA decides to pursue an SSO he adds. tiorfs constituency of 150 major policy,"A major issue would be how to metropolitan wastewater treatment address extreme storm events. I think Stakeholder imolvenwnt plants has much at stake.She hopes the everyone agrees that dry-weather SSOs To get a better picture of the problem, association will be able to contribute should be prohibited,and that adequate says Weiss,the EPA is gathering an advi- significantly to characterizing the extent operation and maintenance programs sory committee of stakeholders to dis- of the SSO problem. that include appropriate rehabilitation, cuss the issue and perhaps contribute to "One of the things AMSA has are necessary"says Weiss. a national policy on SSOs.The group suggested to us already is the need will build on the groundwork laid by for a national policy on SSOs that is a The colprit3 EPA representatives and state environ- corollary to the CSO policy," says Weiss. All of the water hitching a ride in mental agencies who met last fall to Some of the same issues that came the local sanitary sewer system is not assess the impact of SSOs on water quali- up during CSO policy development are there by design.Far from being perfect ty,devise a legal definition of SSOs,and bound to arise during the SSO discus- systems,municipal sewers across the take a preliminary look at alternatives sions,says Steve Merrill,Brown and country are giving free passage to storm- for controlling them. Caldwell engineer and service leader for water,drainage water,and groundwater Many public and private agencies conveyance.That's because the causes of through illicit drains and holes in will be involved in the meetings.Weiss overflow can be similar in the two types the system. says preliminary contacts have been of system—extraneous flows overwhelm This freeloading fluid(known as made with the Association of available capacity,they occur infrequent- infiltration or inflow depending on its Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies ly,and they may cost a great deal to cor- source)produces greater-than-desired (AMSA),the American Public Works rect.In addition,some municipalities wastewater flows resulting in excessive Association,the Water Environment operate systems that contain both com- wear on a system,higher power Federation,the Association of State and bined and separate systems. demands,and operation outside of the Interstate Water Pollution Control "We should expect the SSO policy to Continued on page 9 3