Bond Brook CSO3 Project

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The CSO3 project bids were opened on Tuesday, April 26, 2011.

The District awarded the $13,260,339 low-bid Contract to SE MacMillan from Bangor on July 1, 2011. Work began on July 5, 2011.

Project activity:

Work during the week of July 5 included the creation of a Traffic Control Plan that will be implemented to close Mt Vernon Avenue for approximately 24 hours on Sunday, July 24, 2011. Click here for a copy of the plan.

Trees were removed from the easement areas along the pipeline route and heavy equipment was moved into place.

Important dates:

• Sunday, July 24, 2011 Mt Vernon Avenue road closure for 24 hours
• Thursday, July 28, 2011 Public hearings regarding rates

Rate hearings:

The District will have public hearings regarding rates required to support this project on Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 4:00 PM at the City of Augusta's lecture hall and again at 7:00 PM in the City of Hallowell's Council chamber. Click here for a copy of the mailing sent to all customers.

The District had a preconstruction meeting with the Contractor on Wednesday, June 22nd. The District made a presentation to the Augusta City Council on Thursday, June 23rd, at 6:30 PM.

Click here to read the presentation by Ken Knight to the Augusta City Council on August 12, 2010

Click here to see a PowerPoint presentation of the project. This was used during a public hearing in Augusta on Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010.

Click here to read the presentation by Ken Knight to the Augusta City Council on Thursday, January 6, 2011.

The District is working on its third phase of what is expected to be four phase effort to address combined sewer overflows (CSO).  This is a $15M project that will reduce the frequency of sewer overflows into the Kennebec River.  This project is required for compliance with the Clean Water Act as administered by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

In Maine, the Department of Environmental Protection enforces the CSO rules for EPA under Chapter 570, "Combined Sewer Overflow Abatement".

In Augusta, the Greater Augusta Utility District has been actively managing CSOs for over a decade.  The CSO3 project represents the third phase of CSO compliance.  This round of work centers on the area near Bond Brook.  This will eliminate 4 CSOs that currently dump into Bond Brook.  It will also improve an out of date sewer system, replace two old pump stations with one new one, improve flow into the wastewater plant and comply with upgraded river quality standards to reduce the amount of e. Coli that enters the Kennebec River by rebuilding the plant's effluent disinfection system.

CSO3B Project Description: The CS3B Bond Brook Collection System project is located in the lower Bond Brook area of Augusta and includes, but is not limited to, providing approximately 4,700 feet of 24-inch diameter gravity pipe with associated manholes and service laterals for the Mount Vernon Avenue interceptor; lining approximately 550 linear feet of existing 8-inch diameter asbestos cement pipe and rehabilitation of associated manhole; a total of approximately 1,300 feet of a twin 10 feet by 10 feet and 12 foot by 12 foot storage conduit in Mill Park; approximately 1,650 linear feet 36 inch gravity pipe interconnecting the storage conduit with the new Bond Brook Pump Station with associated manholes and service laterals; interconnecting piping and interconnections between new system and existing system; Bond Brook pumping station where existing Pump Station No. 2 is now located; approximately 2,300 linear feet 12 inch diameter force main from Bond Brook
Pump Station to the corner of Commercial Street and Bridge Street; demolition of existing Pumping
Station Nos. 1 and 2; three stream crossings in Bond Brook and two stream crossing in tributary
streams to Bond Brook; and all appurtenances to make a complete and operating system.

In-stream work within Bond Brook will only be allowed beginning June 1 and ending September 30
per the Natural Resources Protection Act (NRPA) application approved by the Maine Department
of Environmental Protection and the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Why do we have "combined" sewer and stormwater systems?  When Augusta was young, there were different problems to solve and this led to different solutions.  Before people really understood the impacts of dumping sewage into waterways, it was convenient to dump it into local streams and rivers.  Because pipes were expensive to install and had to be dug by hand one pipe was typically used to carry both stormwater (rain) and sewage (toilet waste).  Eventually people noticed that the streams and rivers were in poor condition and scientists determined that something else should be done with wastewater.

How do combined sewers work today?  Modern combined systems collect the vast majority of the sewer and stormwater.  This water is pumped to the wastewater treatment plant.  However some storms are too big to be contained in these systems and some overflows are necessary for cost considerations. 

What is a CSO?  CSO stands for Combined Sewer Overflow.  Some older sewer systems also act as drainage systems for streets and buildings.  Under certain rainfall conditions, the amount of sewage and rainwater that enters the pipes is too much for the pipes to carry and they overflow human waste into streets, streams and rivers.  EPA has long recognized the health risks associated with combined sewer overflows and has regulations under the Clean Water Act that ensure that these public health threats are addressed.  Click here to find out more information from the EPA.

How does a CSO "work"?  The graphic below shows how combined sewers work in dry weather and wet weather.  When it's not raining combined sewers push wastewater (mostly sewer water only when it's dry) to the wastewater plant for treatment.

When it rains, so much water can rush into the pipe that the rain water and the sewage flow out into the brook or river.  The remaining water rushes into the wastewater plant and causes the plant to work poorly which can result in failure to meet environmental standards.  By upsizing the combined sewers more water can be treated at the wastewater plant which reduces the amount discharged to streams and helps keep the brooks and rivers clean.  The advantage is that the larger pipes slow the flow to the wastewater plant which helps the plant work better.