Missouri Success Stories
Capacity building moves system toward compliance
Where: Fredericktown, Missouri, is located in the northeastern foothills of the Ozark Mountains, is the county seat of Madison County and is surrounded on three sides by the easternmost parcel of the Mark Twain National Forest
Problem: EPA notified Fredericktown of their violation of the Clean Water Act for sanitary sewer overflows from the wastewater treatment plan
Solution: MAP conducted a community assessment and concluded that managerial, technical and financial assistance and capacity building was required for the municipal utility to move toward compliance
In May, 2006, Fredericktown received an EPA notice of a Clean Water Act violation for sanitary sewer overflows from the wastewater treatment plant. Overflows were a result of high inflow and infiltration (I&I) of surface water into the collection system.
The mayor called on Midwest Assistance Program to address the issues and move the system toward compliance. MAP did an assessment and found the main areas for capacity building: were:
- Technical: Inspect lift stations for I&I and record hourly meter readings daily. Inspect manholes immediately after rains to compare the volume running trough the pipe with pre-rain levels to isolate sections receiving outside water and record the data on the wastewater collection line map.
- Managerial: Consolidate the distribution/collection department into the water/wastewater departments and make the wastewater treatment facility manger responsible for the wastewater collection system to put a priority on finding the I&I problems.
- Financial: Provide an accurate monthly report to the Council describing the revenue, expenses, internal transfers, fund balances, and wastewater flow and treatment information so that they can make decisions about its well being based on accurate financial and flow and treatment data.
Recommendations were adopted and MAP continued working with the city to conduct a performance evaluation of the collection system, work with the project engineer to address the I&I problems, develop a manual for smoke testing to identify the I&I, and assist the manager with long-range asset management planning.
For more information, contact:
Phone: 952-758-4334
Fax: 952-758-4336
E-mail: map@map-inc.org
MAP is a member of the RCAP network and an equal-opportunity lender, provider and employer.