It's a dirty job, and Omaha is set to do it.
The city now has final state approval to carry out a $1.66 billion plan to clean up water sources and reduce sewer backups into people's basements.
Although certain bothersome construction and sewer overhaul work already has started, the approval Friday by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality marks a major milestone in a costly process that will continue over the next 15 years.
"We would hate to be in a position where we spend this amount of money hoping that in the end the state might be satisfied," said Marty Grate, the city's environmental services manager.
Now full-speed ahead, the project mandated to meet federal clean water requirements calls for sewer separation in dozens of eastern Omaha neighborhoods, two new treatment plants and a 5.4-mile tunnel along the Missouri River.
It also includes construction of a 1.5-mile storm sewer pipeline designed to send storm water from northeast Omaha sewers to the river.
Most obvious to Omaha residents will be torn up streets east of 72nd Street to allow installation of new sewers. Neighborhoods then would be repaved.
The cost will be shared not only by households from throughout Omaha but by surrounding communities connected to Omaha's sewer system, including Gretna, Papillion, Bellevue, Ralston and Carter Lake. About 600,000 people are served by Omaha's sewer system.
Sewer use fees will rise most rapidly through 2014, said Grate. In 2017, a typical household that now pays $15 a month in sewer fees would pay more than $50 a month. (Those fees are included on the Metropolitan Utilities District bill.)
Grate said the city has tried to avoid "sugarcoating" related expense, inconvenience and disruption. In the end, he said, the region will benefit from cleaner water, fewer sewer backups and improved infrastructure.
And in the meantime, Grate said, there will be (a still unknown amount of) jobs to be had.
"Certainly with all this work going on there will be an economic stimulus effect," he said. "We'll be creating jobs."
The project, mandated by the federal Clean Water Act, is designed to ensure that less raw sewage is dumped into local streams and rivers. About 770 other cities nationwide also were required to reduce sewer system overflows.
Omaha's problem stems from its combined sewer system, which carries sewage as well as storm water. When it rains one-tenth of an inch or more, the system can get overwhelmed. Contaminated water then dumps into the Missouri River and Papillion Creek.
The city primarily has combined sewers east of 72nd Street. The lines are separated in western parts of the city.
Contact the writer:
444-1224, cindy.gonzalez@owh.com
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