ALCOSAN Regional Tunnel Facilities Program Management & Outreach
Project Overview
ALCOSAN has adopted the Clean Water Plan (CWP) to improve and protect the quality of the region’s streams and rivers by controlling combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and eliminating sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). The CWP is part of the modified Federal Consent Decree to comply with the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s CSO Control Policy. The CWP is made up of four components:
- preventing excess water from entering the sewer systems;
- expanding the wastewater treatment plant;
- taking ownership of multi-municipal sewers; and
- constructing a new regional tunnel system
Core Services Performed:
- Municipal Coordination
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Public Outreach
- Review Meetings & Presentations
- Material Design
- Mapping & GIS
Client: Allegheny County Sanitary Authority
Prime: Jacobs Engineering
Timeline: 2020 – Present
Program Management & Outreach
E. Holdings, as part of the Jacobs Team, is supporting ALCOSAN’s Tunnel Program. The current plan includes the design and construction of approximately 16 miles of wet weather tunnels that will reduce 70% of CSOs in the region. Our team supports this vital infrastructure improvement program in a variety of tasks such as Stakeholder and Public Engagement, GIS and Data Management, and Utility Coordination.
A key component of the Tunnel Program is the communication and coordination with elected officials, stakeholder groups, communities, and the general public. Engagement with the groups started early in the program in order to build community support for the tunnels. This early engagement is also a necessary step in order to start the permitting and design processes for each of the tunnel segments. Our team has focused on building consensus with elected officials, working with the communities affected by the construction, meeting with community groups and key stakeholders to coordinate and help spread the word, and engaging with the public to provide information and answer questions. Informational materials have been customized for each audience with the goal of transparency and inclusion. Additional engagement with key stakeholder groups and the general public will be vital during the design and construction of the tunnels to ensure all voices are heard and input/feedback is incorporated as much as possible.
Learn more on the ALOCSAN project website