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ALLEGHENY COUNTY ndash May 9 2008
What can you expect
In the next two hourshellipbull An overview of the task forcebull A video and verbal overview of our regionrsquos
water-related problemsbull Overview of southwestern Pennsylvaniarsquos
current institutional systembull Exploration of multi-governmental collaborationbull Public input on problems and regional models
Task Force Background
Over the last decade several regional studies have provided extensive information on our regionrsquos water and sewage problems
These efforts have consistently recommended regional collaboration to adequately confront our problems
The Regional Water Management Task Force was formed to begin achieving consensus on action steps
Dr Jared Cohon
RepresentationScope
Diverse high-level representation from 11 southwestern Pennsylvania counties Appointed with input from county commissioners
and state legislators Chair ndash Dr Jared Cohon
President Carnegie Mellon University
Vice Chair ndash Dr Angelo ArmentiPresident California University of Pennsylvania
15 additional members from throughout the region
Public Water and Public Sewage Services in Southwestern Pennsylvania
Mission
Solving our regionrsquos water-related problems in a way that best serves our citizens
bull Protect the publicrsquos health ensure environmental sustainability provide for the regionrsquos economic vitalityand avoid costly regulatory actions
Institutional not technical projectbull Public engagement to determine consensusbull Implementation
Our water seems finehellip
The region has madegreat strides BUThellip
Southwestern Pennsylvania continues to face one of the
worst combinations of water problems in the nation
Water Quality has Improvedbut Many Problems Remain
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
IndustrialMetals
IndustrialMetals
Fecal Coliform
Fecal Coliform
70rsquos 90rsquos
Source Analysis of USGS data monitoring
DrinkingWater
Standard
Problems Sewage
An urban problembull combined and sanitary sewer overflows
And a rural problembull malfunctioning septic systems
Wildcat sewers
Sewage Overflows From SewersInto Our Rivers and Streams
hellipand by failure
By designhellip
Combined Sewer Overflows
SW PA Has Among the WorstSewage Overflow Problem in the US
States with the MostCombined Sewer Overflows
RANK STATE CSOS
1 Pennsylvania 1631
2 Ohio 1378
3 New York 1032
4 Indiana 876
5 Illinois 742
6 West Virginia 681
7 Missouri 451
8 Kentucky 288
9 Massachusetts 278
10 Michigan 262
Communitieswith CSOs
Combined Sewer Overflows by Region
RANK PA REGION CSOS
1 Southwest 763
2 Northeast 349
3 Southeast 211
4 North Central 125
5 South Central 118
6 Northwest 65
TOTAL 1631
Sewage Overflows ExistThroughout the Region
15
4131917
622 72
14022
1 0
Number of CSOsby County
Communitieswith CSOs
States with the MostCombined Sewer Overflows
RANK STATE CSOS1 Pennsylvania 16312 Ohio 13783 New York 10324 Indiana 876
Southwest PA 7635 Illinois 7426 West Virginia 6817 Missouri 4518 Kentucky 2889 Massachusetts 27810 Michigan 262
Major Rivers are Unsafe for Bodily Contact4 Out of Every 5 Days
Allegheny County Health Department CSO WarningsMay 15 - September 30
0
20
40
60
80
100
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Sanitary Sewer Overflows ndash 600+ Each Year
- 10000 20000 30000 40000 50000
Westmoreland
Washington
Somerset
Lawrence
Indiana
Greene
Fayette
Butler
Beaver
Armstrong
Allegheny
300000 Homes Are Not on Public Sewershellip
Another Sewage Problem On-lot septic system malfunction
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Allegheny Armstrong Beaver Butler Fayette Greene Indiana Lawrence Somerset Washington Westmoreland
Human waste disposal methods by county in southwestern Pennsylvania Black (centralized WWTP) gray (on-site systems)
white (ldquootherrdquo eg cesspools straight pipes)
hellipbut most of SWPA is Unsuitablefor Conventional On-lot Systems
USDA Soil Surveys show most of our soil does not support the use of traditional septic systems
LimitedUse
Slight orNo Limitation
Thousands of Homes HaveNo Sewage Treatment At All
As many as 27000 homes in SWPA discharge untreated sewage directly
into streets or streams
SW PA Has Worst Contamination Problems in Ohio River Basin
Water Sam ples V iolat ing Safe Contact Standardsfor Fecal Coliform E coli 2006
Problems Flooding and Stormwater
Between 1955 and 2000 PArsquos median yearlyflood damage was $95 million $44 billion in cumulative damages Southwest PA has been declared a federal disaster area
due to flooding 7 times since 1984 Continuing disconnect between land use and
stormwater will only worsen these problems
September 2004
Problems Abandoned Mine Drainage
2800 of 4000 miles of PArsquos AMD degraded streamsare located in the Ohio River basinMoreover northern West Virginia has 1100 abandoned
mines discharging into the Monongahela River watershed
Only some of our problemshellip
Sewage AMD and stormwater are only three ofour regionrsquos many problemsOthers include water main breaks aging
infrastructure industrial pollutionhellip In a recent task force poll 49 of respondents
reported being directly affected by at least one of the regionrsquos water problemsHolistic approach needed
Why should we care
Water does not recognize human or political boundariesbull Affects all of our regionrsquos residents bull Urban and ruralbull Regardless of age sex race or income level
Why should we care
Significant costs of inactionbull While there have been no recent outbreaks of waterborne
disease our current situation is extremely vulnerablebull Imposed limits on growth and development due to
inadequate infrastructurebull State and federal regulatory actions which will lead to
even greater costs With aging infrastructure our problems will only get worse The status quo is at best untenable ndash
bull Neither safe economically beneficial nor legal for us tocontinue in this manner
Water is One of Southwestern PArsquosGreatest Regional Assets
Recreation
Tourism
EconomicDevelopment
NationalSecurity
Quality of LifePittsburgh
Kittanning
Beaver
Ohiopyle
These important problems must beconfronted aggressively
butsignificant obstaclesexist to fixing them
Huge Cost of Addressing the Needs
Existing sewer systems $80 billion New sewer systems $05 billion
Septic system upgrades $05 billion
Total need $9 billion
DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR NEEDED WATER INFRASTRUCTUREAMD AND STORMWATER MONIES
Our Financing Approach Makes Improving the Systems Difficult
Some public needs are broadly funded through taxes (eg education welfare roads)
Others are funded by insurance (health care)
Water and sewage system funding through direct user expenditures with less state or federal monies
bull Applies to both public and on-lot systems
Malfunctioning Septics
Surface Water IntakeGround Water IntakeCSO Outfalls
The Causes of the ProblemsAre Complex and Regional
Pittsburgh
Morgantown
Water Quality ProblemsDownstreamhellip
hellipAre Caused by problems Upstream in Different Communities Countiesand States
Over 1000 Different Entities and1100000+ Homes Responsible
11 Count ies601 M unicipalit ies268 Authorit iesM any other jurisdict ions1140300 Households
Number of Authorities by County
47
19
28
12
29
12 1210
24
30
38
0
10
20
30
40
50
Alleg
heny
Arms
trong
Beav
er
Butle
r
Faye
tte
Gree
ne
Indian
aLa
wren
ce
Some
rset
Washi
ngton
Westm
orelan
d
Number of People per Authority
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Alleg
heny
Armstr
ong
Beav
er
Butle
r
Faye
tte
Gree
ne
Indian
aLa
wren
ceSo
merset
Washin
gton
Westm
orelan
d
Number of Square Miles per Authority
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Alleg
heny
Armstr
ong
Beav
er
Butle
r
Faye
tte
Gree
ne
Indian
aLa
wren
ceSo
merset
Washin
gton
Westm
orelan
d