Deep Tunnel's twists and turns -- CSO control in metro Chicago

Conference · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1998

OSTI ID:20014867

Farnan, J C; Lue-Hing, C; O'Connor, T K; Rakoczy, J R

Metro-Chicago began its search for a comprehensive solution to its severe and then-worsening combined sewer overflow (CSO) pollution and flooding problems even before enactment of the 1972 Federal Clean Water Act. Many studies and extensive interagency cooperation singled out the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP) as the best means of cost-effectively achieving three anti-pollution and anti-flooding objectives: protect Chicagoland's main drinking water supply--Lake Michigan--from raw sewage backflows; clean up polluted streams; and alleviated basement sewage backups. Owing to TARP's uniqueness, initially there was little or no design, construction or operations experience to draw upon to help implement the project. But since TARP's four systems operate independently, and new tunnel segments are placed into operation as soon as completed, the District has been able to continuously monitor performance and obtain operations feedback. This has enabled ongoing refinement of design, construction, and operational strategy on successive TARP tunnel contracts. Herein is a brief discussion of TARP's development--an evolutionary process with many twists and turns--and of problems and opportunities encountered which resulted in design or operations changes.

• Research Organization: Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, IL (US)
• OSTI ID: 20014867
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
CHICAGO
DRINKING WATER
FLOODS
SEWAGE
STORAGE
TUNNELS
WATER POLLUTION