The city of Akron is pursuing another revision to its federally mandated sewer overhaul. It believes the changes could save an additional 140-million dollars on the project while still satisfying the conditions of a 2014 consent decree.
The U-S EPA has told the city, however, that it will not support the new request which would reduce the size of a smaller Northside Interceptor Tunnel, saving $40 million, and eliminate the Ohio Canal Tunnel Treament Facility, saving an additional $100 million.
Pat Gsellman is the project manager with Akron Waterways Renewed, which is in charge of the overall project. He says the consent decree was intended to reduce the amount of raw sewage from combined sewer overflows that end up in the Cuyahoga River during heavy rains.
“It’s a de minimis impact on water quality or improvement in water quality, and the big piece in that is we've actually been able to reduce the number of overflows in how we operate the tunnel from seven to three per typical year.”
An informal resolution period ended last week. The process now moves to a formal resolution period, but the decision could ultimately be made by a federal judge this summer.
Akron has completed 23 of 26 required projects. The deadline for finishing all work is 2027.
