Wastewater

MOM, Grease Management, and Operation Clean Sewer
Pursuant to the federal consent decree, the city of Atlanta initiated MOM (Management, Operation and Maintenance) Plans in 2001. From that year through 2003, the total number of sewer spills decreased each year by 27%; the total number of 2004 sewer spills is expected to be approximately the same as 2003, as a result of three tropical storms in September 2004. When the construction and lining of the Nancy Creek Tunnel is completed in December 2005, the city projects that approximately 40% of the total annual volume of sewage spills will be eliminated.

The principal reason for the reduction in the number of sewer spills is the removal of grease and debris-related blockages—a result of the city’s new, aggressive grease management and sewer cleaning programs. In 2002, more than 2,000 food service establishments were issued permits to handle grease. From early 2002 through September 2004, more than 16,000 grease trap inspections were performed, ahead of the city’s performance goal of 11,200. In 2004, close to 4 million gallons of grease were collected from these traps for appropriate disposal, instead of being released into city sewers!

At the same time the city’s ability to manage sewage spills has improved substantially. The median response time has decreased—66% of the total responses are now handled within the city’s goal of 60 minutes, and median containment time for the spills ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 hours. The city’s preventive maintenance program has aided significantly in this remarkable improvement.

City Finally Invests in Clean Streams
With an investment of $1 billion in its comprehensive sewer maintenance and rehabilitation program, the city anticipates that it will complete its work by 2012—two years ahead of the consent decree deadline. Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and her team in the city’s Watershed Management Department are committed to improving the quality of the water in the Chattahoochee and its tributaries. At least part of the Franklin’s legacy will be her reversal of the legacy of her predecessors, who repeatedly failed to invest in the city’s sewer infrastructure.

For more information on the implementation of the Consent decree and the Mayor’s Clean Water Initiative, go to Atlanta’s watershed management site Clean Water Atlanta.