As of March 2018, the Milwaukee River Basin TMDL (Total Maximum Daily Load) includes specified limits for bacteria. The TMDL states that 90% of fecal pollution found in the river basin is attributed to a combination of rural and urban runoff from unknown sources. These pollutants enter the storm sewer system and flow untreated toward local streams, lakes, and wetlands, posing an ongoing threat to the overall health of our communities.
AN ONGOING THREAT
Suspected sources of fecal matter in urban waterways include illicit connections of sanitary sewers to storm sewers and leaky sanitary sewers caused by hundreds of miles of private sewer laterals that are not inspected as often as municipal sewer lines. A sewer lateral failure could cause contaminants to seep into storm sewer pipe bedding or directly into cracked storm sewers. Further, accumulations of pollutants outside the pipe in the stone trench underground may mobilize and seep into nearby storm sewers once the groundwater rises in spring or after excessive periods of rain.
FINDING A SOLUTION
To help locate and reduce harmful pollutants, the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit requires an Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination (IDDE) program. An IDDE program that effectively finds and removes illicit sanitary to storm sewer connections can greatly aid in the reduction of fecal pollutants that are reaching waterways, which will in turn reduce the risk to public health, improve water quality and habitat, and move municipalities closer to specific TMDL goals.
This year, many MS4 permitted communities in the Milwaukee River Basin are being issued new permits that will require them to make progress towards the new TMDL goals by updating their storm water programs. R/M is partnering with our communities to develop, update, and execute IDDE programs that protect public health, improve local waterways, and meet permit requirements.
For more information how R/M can help your community reduce bacteria in your waterways, please contact one of our experts today!
About the Author
Maureen A. Schneider
Project Engineer
Maureen is passionate about finding effective, efficient, and environmentally sustainable solutions to engineering problems. She has experience in the development of storm water management plans, stream restoration projects, regulatory permit processes, agricultural pollutant reduction program implementation, and other storm water quality improvement projects. Maureen has been with Ruekert & Mielke, Inc. since 2017.
