2004-10-26_PWETC_AgendaPacket - Laserfiche WebLink

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Introduction Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) owns and operates extensive interceptor systems, as shown in Figure I. The largest system conveys wastewater flow to the Metro Wastewater Treatment Plant and serves Figure 1: MCES Plants and Interceptor System 65 communities. Smaller systems convey flow to the Council's plants in Shakopee (Blue Lake), Eagan (Seneca), Empire and Stillwater (St. Croix). There is no interceptor system for the Hastings and Rosemount plants and the interceptor system to the new Eagles Point Plant is under construction, Metropolitan Disposal System (MDS) Anoka !Washlngton More than 100 communities own and operate local sewer systems that are connected to the MCES regional interceptor system, Through these local systems, wastewater service is extended to residents, commercial establishments, industry, and public agencies. These end users are charged for this service by the local community, which typically charges for wastewater on the basis of metered water use. MCES, as a wholesaler of the regional services, bills each community on the basis of its metered wastewater flow into the interceptor system. Only industries with high strength waste are billed individually by MCES, Carver Each community bills its customers to recapture the cost charged by MCES and the costs to maintain and operate the local sewers. Because MCES bases its charge for service on the volume of wastewater received, these charges reflect clear water entering the sewer system as well as the wastewater generated by the customers. This includes rain induced clear water that enters the local sewer system through leaks in the publicly owned sewer and manholes and the private property sources: rain leaders, sump pumps, foundation drains, and leaking house laterals. MCES flow records show a direct correlation between precipitation and the volume of clear water flow from many communities served by the regional wastewater system. The addition of clear water into the local sewer systems creates two problems, First, the additional flow takes capacity that was originally designed for growth and, in some cases, the additional flow exceeds the available sewer system capacity. When the capacity of the sewer is exceeded, the wastewater backs up into basements or spills out of a manhole. These occurrences are not allowable under federal and state regulations. Second, MCES charges communities the same rate for its clear water as it does for the sewage. Communities, therefore have a fiscal as well as a public policy reason for assuring that the total system functions effectively and conforms to federal and state regulations.