Flooding and the combination storm/sanitary system

The storms of June 25 and 26 caused storm damage and flooding for hundreds of Bloomington families. The storm was unprecedented, with 12 inches of rain falling in a matter of hours. 

Much of the flooding occurred in homes that still have a combination storm/sanitary system. In a combined system, the sewers handle both storm water and human waste. The Public Works Department offers a concise background on Bloomington’s combined sewer system, including a short video explaining combined sewer overflows. 

The goal is to replace combined systems with separate sewage lines so that waste can be piped to a wastewater treatment plant. The US Clean Water Act requires that we make progress toward eliminating combined sewer systems. As of now, Bloomington has replaced four out of seven of the combined systems. Eventually, all will be eliminated. 

Even though the combined sewer system functioned as it was designed, it leaves families vulnerable during heavy rains. I will support accelerating replacement of the combined sewer systems or other viable plans to mitigate the effects of heavy rains.