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K.C. Masterpiece: Revolutionary Combined Sewer Overflow Control Kansas City, MO, is breaking new ground in more ways than one, instituting the largest and most innovative infrastructure project in the city's history. By Jennifer Rusch A ging sewer infrastructure has become an issue of national concern. The U.S. EPA estimates that each year more than 850 billion gallons of combined sewer overflow is discharged into local streams and rivers. To address this public health concern, the EPA has estimated a total investment of $57 billion dollars to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) across 772 communities. For the communities impacted by these CSOs, the challenge is great. In Kansas City, MO, the solution is the first of its kind. Big Plans Kansas City is emerging as a leader in developing strategic and data-driven solutions for the city's CSOs, which are estimated to total 6.4 billion gallons of overflow each year. In 2010, Kansas City's Federal Consent Decree became the first in the nation to receive approval from the EPA for the use of green infrastructure solutions to address CSOs. The green infrastructure solutions included in the city's federally mandated consent decree are part of Kansas City's Overflow Control Program, a $4.5 to $5 billion plan to reduce CSOs by 88 percent over 25 years. The Overflow Control Program represents the largest infrastructure investment in the history of Kansas City and has consequently received considerable attention from residents and civic leaders who are interested in maximizing the benefit of such a historic undertaking. "Kansas City is working to leverage each dollar spent as part of the Overflow Control Program to maximize the benefit to our residents," said Troy Schulte, city manager for the city of Kansas City, MO. "The knowledge we are collecting from this work, combined with strong public and private partnerships, has enabled Kansas City to transform communities while meeting the requirements of our consent decree. The Overflow Control Program is an example of how our city has taken a challenge and used it to create smart solutions and stronger communities." Tech To The Rescue This year, Kansas City is scheduled to release an innovative technology initiative that will enable the city to capitalize on the investment made as part of the Overflow Control Program. The initiative is a cutting-edge Web application (app) that allows city staff and Overflow Control Program stakeholders to quickly access and utilize terabytes of the city's sanitary sewer data, largely collected as part of the city's Overflow Control Program. The application is the first to combine multiple, off- the-shelf technologies for the assessment and use of sanitary sewer data. Kansas City created the application using the Web Application Builder produced by Esri. The city's sanitary sewer data, which includes CCTV video footage, field investigation reports, smoke testing reports, and manhole inspections, are analyzed and categorized by a data-management technology called InfoMaster produced by Innovyze. "The sanitary sewer application is changing the way our project teams serve our customers and the way we address the challenges of our aging sewer system," said Andy Shively, engineering officer for Kansas City Water Services. "Previously, this kind of data had to be accessed using specialized desktop software or would need to be shared with project teams and subcontractors using massive storage drives." Using these analytical engines, Kansas City is able to mine more than 30 terabytes of existing sewer condition data to produce heat maps which identify portions of the sewer system that require the most urgent attention. The survey information in the app is also searchable, providing project teams with detailed information that can be accessed using smartphones or tablets from the field. Additional sewer surveys, conducted as part of the city's Overflow Control Program, are expected to generate up to 50 terabytes of data. After releasing the sanitary sewer application, Kansas City has plans to develop a custom portal which will contain access to a series of applications such as private inflow and infiltration information, field management applications, and flow metering viewers. "Building a legacy for Kansas City requires strategic and data- driven solutions that maximize benefits for our community," said Shively. "This leading technology initiative is important for the strategic and long-term plan for our utility, and it is paving the way for better service and smarter solutions for future generations." Green vs. Gray The analysis and classification of this massive amount of data is helping project teams associated with Kansas City's Overflow Control Program develop and improve upon both green and gray infrastructure solutions. Kansas City's federally mandated consent decree allows for the replacement of gray infrastructure with green solutions when those plans are 12 wateronline.com ■ Water Innovations