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City of Ann Arbor SSWWEP - Citizens Advisory Committee Coordination — City of Ann Arbor

2.37 -C- How much does it cost to treat stormwater vs. sanitary sewage?

Posted by Lori Byron on 21 Dec, 2013
Category: Category 2 - about potential recommendations

Frank Burdick’s Log Number: N/A
Submitted by: August CAC meeting
Category (1,2,3): 2
Status: Closed
Estimated date to address: N/A

Q. How much does it cost to treat stormwater vs. sanitary sewage?

A. There is no cost to treat stormwater at the pipe outlet, as this water is collected by a separate storm sewer pipe system, which ultimately discharged to the Huron River without an end-of-pipe treatment. Treatment and management of stormwater is handled through other mechanisms such as source control, street sweeping, public education programs and stormwater collection system maintenance. Stormwater does not make its way to the wastewater treatment plan, unless it enters the sanitary sewer system through defects, in the sanitary sewer system or private property sources like footing drains. The cost for treating sewage at the wastewater treatment plant is approximately $1400 per million gallons. Therefore, when any stormwater enters into the sanitary sewer system, unnecessary cost is incurred because all the flow which enters into the sanitary sewer pipes goes to the wastewater treatment plant. 

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