Boston, Massachusetts:Growing Pains of a City

John P Sullivan P.E.Chief EngineerBoston Water and Sewer CommissionOctober 31, 2016

EPA 2016 National Nonpoint Source Training Workshop

Boston

1630

View from the State House 1857

City Expansion

Introduction of Public Water Supply 1848

Boston Main Drainage System

Improvements made during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s

History of Sewer System

• 1876 - Major improvement with Boston’s First Sewer System

• 1889 – Metropolitan Sewerage District formed to construct regional sewers.

• 1919 - Metropolitan District Commission takes control – major water Quality problems

• 1940 - Three treatment plants recommended: Nut, Moon and Deer Island

• 1952 – Nut Island Primary constructed

• 1968 – Deer Island Primary constructed and untreated sewage discharge ends

• 1969 – Man lands on the moon (Moon Island plant not built)

• 1977- Boston Water and Sewer Commission created

• 1985 – Massachusetts Water Resources Authority created

MWRA Sewer Area

Deer Island Treatment Plant

Dramatic Improvements In Bacterial Water Quality

Average Enterococcus counts in Boston Harbor

1987-1998 (Before Secondary Treatment

and South System transfer)

Elevated bacteria around outfalls, rivers, Inner

Harbor, shoreline

1999 - 2003 (After Secondary Treatment

and New Outfall)

Most of Harbor well within swimming criteria,

most remaining problems in rivers

CSO Control Completed

75% of the city is separated

– Purple: Combined

– Red: Sewer

– Green: Storm Drain

Combined Sewers, Sanitary Sewers and Drains

Secondary Treatment – Completed

CSO LTCP – Completed

MS4 – The Adventure Begins

2016

BWSC Collection System

• 1448 miles of sewer and drain pipes• (249 miles combined, 612 miles sanitary, 587 miles storm drain)

• Sewers range from 8 inch to 108 inch

• Drains range from 12 inch to 240 x 186 inch

• 5 stormwater pump stations

• 4 sanitary pump stations

• 417 outfalls

• 46,376 manholes

Boston Stormwater Management

• Total Maximum Daily Load (2007)– Phosphorus: Upper & Middle/Lower Charles River

• Consent Decree (2012)– Update Stormwater Model

– Create BMP Implementation Plan

– Implement 3 Pilot Green Infrastructure/Low Impact Development (“GI/LID”) Projects

• Central Square, Audubon Circle, City Hall Plaza

Extensive Planning to Understand Stormwater Pollution

Extensive Open Space

GI/LID Obstacles in Boston

Commission does not own land for GI/LID

• Need to work with other agencies and entities

– Department of Public Works

– Department of Transportation

– Boston Parks and Recreation Department

– Boston Public Schools

– Boston Redevelopment Authority

• Need to work with private property owners

• Central Square – East Boston

• Audubon Circle

• City Hall Plaza

• 5 Boston Public Schools

• Daisy Field Conceptual Exercise

• Three Tributary Areas – Canterbury Brook, Lower Stony Brook, North Beacon

BWSC GI/LID Projects

Audubon Circle

BPS Kennedy Health Careers Academy GI/LID Improvements

Central Square

Tree trenches with porous pavers

Porous asphalt for parking and porous concrete for sidewalks over infiltration trenches

• Washington Irving Middle School

• Rafael Hernandez K-8 School

• Ellis Elementary School

• Jackson/Horace Mann K-8 School

• Kennedy Health Careers Academy

5 Boston Public Schools

Daisy Field

Three Tributary Areas

North Beacon Street

Lower Stony Brook

Canterbury Brook

The Future

• Complete demonstration projects

• Establish 25 year BMP implementation Plan

• Complete feasibility of Stormwater Fee Study

• Review three tributary area study results

• Work with Parks and Public Works to establish schedule for GI during their CIP (20 year schedule)

• Learn from other cities success/failure and adjust program

• Implement reasonable maintenance procedures