Revised Sewer Plan Cuts Cost, Directs Storm Water to Milwaukee River

The village revised its proposed comprehensive sewer plan Wednesday, effectively cutting costs and downsizing the approach to problematic sewers.

with analyzing the village’s sewer plan and officials released a tweaked plan at a special sewer meeting. Each firm focused on one corner of the village, as officials seek a plan to battle basement backups like those experienced after torrential rainfall hit the area last July. 

The new plan shaves nearly $10 million from the village’s $71 million plan; however, officials said they plan to release more refined fiscal details at a future meeting.

The village still plans to focus on four goals:

• Provide sewer backup protection for 2 inches of rain in one hour in the whole village by 2015.
• In the long term, provide backup protection for 4 inches of rain in 1 hour.
• Separate currently combined storm and sanitary sewers by 2035.
• Reduce street flooding throughout the village to prevent pooling water from coming within 2 feet of any building opening during 3-inch-per-hour rainfall by 2020.

Village Engineer Mustafa Emir said the village’s original plan focused  heavily on separating combined sanitary and storm water sewers in much of Shorewood east of North Oakland Avenue. The new approach still calls for building a new storm water sewer in that area, but it will focus on rain runoff on the street, which will  be directed toward the Milwaukee River instead of Lake Michigan.

"This is a sort of complete unthinking of what was presented to you a couple months ago," Emir said.

Directing runoff to the river involves a greater distance but is an easier plan, Emir said.

West of Oakland Avenue, storm water will drain to the Milwaukee River and the already separated sewer system would see increased capacity.

Residents still can expect the possibility of having their foundation drain disconnected or work on their private laterals paid for through a special assessment on their tax bill.

The proposed plan is subject to Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District limitations. An MMSD consultant also will determine which Shorewood homes will have sump pumps installed and foundation drains discontinued, according to village officials.

The village will ask MMSD to allow the village sewers to drain into its system while work  to separate sewers is under way. 

With the proposed North Oakland Avenue development slated for the Sendik’s parking lot moving forward, one resident voiced concern over an increased strain.

Emir said the village is actively looking at how that would work.

A study on infiltration of rainwater into sanitary sewers is being conducted to determine what areas typically are hit the hardest.

The Village Board recently approved a $3,900 contract for Short Elliott Hendrickson, an engineering firm, to provide utility planning services. The funds will be paid out of the village’s general capital fund.

SEH will give the village a picture of what storm water user fees would look like, how the storm water utility can be used to fund much needed sewer work, and a draft ordinance and policy.

Village Manager Chris Swartz said the village definitely didn’t want to put all of the weight of the proposed $71.5 million comprehensive sewer plan on the tax levy. The plan is the village's answer to basement backups caused by Shorewood's faulty sewer system.

Trustee Ellen Eckman said SEH would simply provide the village with possible fees, but the village would decide whether to use the fees.

Under the new plan, nearly 70 percent of sewer work would be funded by the user fee-funded sanitary and storm water utility funds.