Wastewater treatment solutions from Seven Seas can help cities prevent the escape of sewage due to heavy rainfall
In some cities, sewage systems are separate from the stormwater infrastructure that carries rainfall away to bodies of surface water, but in other areas, a simplified system carries sewage and stormwater together in a single pipe to a wastewater treatment plant.
This can cause problems, especially during heavy rainfall, when excessive amounts of stormwater can exceed a system’s capacity, causing a mixture of untreated wastewater and stormwater to be discharged into nearby bodies of water via permitted outfall points. These events, known as combined sewer overflows (CSOs), can release pathogens and other pollutants, posing a significant risk to the environment and public health.
The pollutants in CSOs can range from pathogenic bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasites, to pesticides, nutrients, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical compounds. Untreated wastewater can also contain irritants that cause skin rashes or adverse respiratory reactions that can exacerbate conditions such as asthma.
CSOs pose a risk not only to humans but also to pets and wildlife. For example, high nutrient levels can stimulate the growth of algae, resulting in harmful algal blooms and reduced oxygen levels in waterways. These can lead to fish die-offs, closure of shellfish beds, and loss of biodiversity.
In the United States, the Clean Water Act requires municipalities to address the environmental and public health risks associated with CSOs. They must protect receiving waters and drinking water sources or face hefty fines for noncompliance.
Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Solutions
Decentralized wastewater treatment offers a potential solution for mitigating CSOs in areas where centralized systems are overwhelmed. Unlike centralized wastewater treatment plants, which serve a larger regional area, decentralized plants are designed to serve smaller areas and are located close to the communities they serve.
This alleviates the need for extensive sewer pipe networks to transport wastewater from the collection point to a treatment plant some distance away and reduces the likelihood of the system being overwhelmed by heavy rainfall.
Seven Seas Water Group can provide modular solutions that give municipalities flexible, scalable options for addressing immediate and long-term water treatment challenges. Designed for rapid deployment, these modular systems can be quickly integrated into existing infrastructure to expand municipal wastewater treatment capacity, making them ideal for addressing CSO challenges. Their modular design means they can easily be scaled up should additional capacity be needed in the future.
Financing Wastewater Infrastructure
While addressing CSO challenges often requires substantial investment in infrastructure upgrades, Seven Seas’ Water-as-a-Service® financing model alleviates this financial burden, with no upfront capital investment required. This frees up financial resources for use in other areas, such as the construction of stormwater retention basins or a separate stormwater sewer system, projects that can help prevent CSOs in the first place.
With public-private partnership contracts, Seven Seas takes on all responsibilities for the plant and its operations and maintenance, providing service for a predetermined price.
With Water-as-a-Service®, Seven Seas’ team of water professionals takes care of all aspects of the project, from design and construction to plant operation and maintenance, ensuring optimal treatment efficiency and high effluent quality that meets or exceeds regulatory standards, helping municipalities avoid penalties for violations.
Customized Treatment
To ensure optimal contaminant removal, Seven Seas uses a wide range of technologies — including dissolved air flotation (DAF) and membrane bioreactor (MBR) — to produce a high-quality effluent that can be safely discharged into the environment or recycled for reuse.
DAF and MBR systems offer municipalities proven ways to address the challenges of overflow events effectively. By integrating these technologies into their wastewater management strategies, municipalities can enhance treatment efficiency, ensure regulatory compliance, and protect public health and the environment, even during extreme weather or high-flow conditions.
Wastewater Management for Your City
Public-private partnerships can play a vital role in providing cash-strapped municipalities with access to state-of-the-art wastewater treatment infrastructure without heavy financial and operational burdens. With a choice of time-tested technologies, Seven Seas’ wastewater treatment systems can be tailored to meet a municipality’s specific treatment requirements and evolving capacity needs.
Contact Seven Seas to learn how we can help you integrate the most appropriate technologies into broader stormwater and wastewater management plans to protect freshwater resources and achieve your sustainability goals.
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