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Overview of the Green Infrastructure Section of PWSA’s Feasibility Study
Presentation Charrette No. 3: April 19, 2013
Presenter: Ross Gordon, PE, CFM, LEED AP
1
Recap – WW Feasibility Study
PWSA and City of Pittsburgh Consent Order and Agreement (COA) Entered January 29, 2004
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD)
Requirement per COA Section 15. Paragraph d. Submit Feasibility Study (FS) within 6 months
after ALCOSAN submits a Wet Weather Plan (WWP)
2
Recap – Timeline
Initial Draft FS completed
Refine the FS to achieve consistency with regional planning efforts
Complete remaining planning tasks and integrate prior planning activities into a final FS
2002PWSA
Long Term Control
Plan (LTCP) started under NPDES
requirements
2004PWSA/CitySign COA
2008PWSA LTCP
converted to a
Feasibility Study (FS)
2008PWSA
Preliminary Draft FS completed
2009PWSA
modeling and cost
estimating methods
aligned with regional methods
2010PWSA FS
recommendations updated
and preliminary
flow estimates provided to
ALCOSAN per COA
2012PWSA
Draft FS submitted
to ALCOSAN
July 2012ALCOSAN releases its Draft
WWP
January 2013
ALCOSAN Submits
Draft WWP to
RegulatorsJuly 2013PWSA/Cityto submit Final FS to regulators per COA
2007ALCOSAN signs CD
and begins regional planning
3
Schedule - Feasibility Study Update2
01
3 February 2
01
3 March
20
13 April
20
13 May
20
13 June
20
13 July
Feasibility Study Update Completion Schedule
DRAFT FINALINITIATE
#1 #2 #3Charrette Charrette Charrette
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PWSA Feasibility Study
Establish baseline ‘gray infrastructure’ approach to meeting compliance requirements Includes Projects / Timeline / Costs / Affordability Culmination of 10-year planning process
Introduce ‘green infrastructure (GI)’ alternative and Integrated Watershed Planning (IWP) framework
Lay out process to ‘green PWSA’s wet weather plan’
5
Green Infrastructure Section
Establish intentions for incorporating GI into the feasibility study
Lay out initial actions to assess feasibility of greening the baseline gray infrastructure approach
Lay out initial actions to accelerate/facilitate implementation of GI
6
Green Infrastructure Section
Lay out initial actions to demonstrate and monitor performance of GI approaches
Establish decision points to update the feasibility study and modify the COA to include GI and adaptive management
7
Feasibility Study Challenges
PWSA is required to provide a path to compliance (baseline approach)
PWSA is required to meet the schedule in the COA
Regulators looking for certainty – evidence of proposed compliance approach’s ability to meet requirements of COA
8
Green Infrastructure Challenges
GI path to compliance has not been determined yet
Ability to implement GI approach at the scale required has not been demonstrated
Ability for GI approach to meet water quality standards has not been demonstrated
9
Summary of Challenges
Feasibility Study is a balance of multiple concerns: Timing Efficacy/Benefit Cost
Regulators require clear plan to meet CSO reduction obligations
Aim to provide a structure which allows for adaptation and optimization of the plan
10
Preliminary Green Infra. Section Outline
1) Introduction to Green Infrastructure2) Public Participation3) Overview of Challenges and Obstacles4) Adaptive Management Approach5) Short Term Action / Implementation
Plan6) Decision Points7) Long Term Action / Implementation Plan
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1) Intro. to Green Infrastructure
Introduction to green infrastructure (GI) Review of GI for CSO control Review of Triple Bottom Line benefits of
GI Quantification of existing GI efforts Discussion of ‘Integrated Watershed
Planning’ framework Establishment of goals and objectives for
GI
12
2) Public Participation
Introduction to GI charrette process Charrette # 1 findings Charrette # 2 findings Charrette # 3 findings “Green Infrastructure in Pittsburgh
will be a success if...”
13
3) Challenges and Obstacles
Provides impetus for implementation activities
Based on feedback provided in Charrettes Authority to implement Education and outreach Collaboration Regulatory / zoning Financial Maintenance Monitoring
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4) Adaptive Management Approach
Provide overview of proposed adaptive management framework
Discuss benefits of continual optimization of compliance activities
Review gray / green interface and how it can be optimized
Discuss process of staying on schedule while exploring GI opportunities
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5) Short Term Action/Implementation Plan
Accelerate/facilitate implementation of GI Demonstrate and monitor performance of GI Inform decision making process
Develop inter-agency GI task force Continue public education and outreach Streamline bureaucracy / permitting Establish regional partnerships Plan/construct/assess early implementation projects Conduct system-wide GI alternatives assessment Address major zoning / regulatory impediments Develop GI design and maintenance manuals Develop GI monitoring and tracking plan Finalize assessment of stormwater utility Develop ‘Implementation and Adaptive Management Plan’
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6) Decision Points
Establish schedule of decision points Establish criteria to be met at each
decision point and consequences of not meeting criteria
Establish process for modifying Consent Order and Agreement
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7) Long Term Action/Implementation Plan
Provide vision for long-term GI / hybrid approach to CSO control
Provide vision for ‘Integrated Watershed Planning’ approach
Establish framework of long-term adaptive management process
Establish long-term process for assessing progress towards compliance
18
GI Section Summary
Roadmap to incorporate GI into the feasibility study
Set of short term obligations to accelerate/facilitate implementation of GI
Establishment of decision points and process to amend Consent Order and Agreement to incorporate GI
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Overview of Adaptive Management Approach to Green Infrastructure
Presentation Charrette No. 3: April 19, 2013
Presenter: Ross Gordon, PE, CFM, LEED AP
20
Key Considerations
Adaptive approach bases future actions on the success of previous actions, allowing for continual improvement
Focuses on monitoring and regular re-assessment in order to achieve goals in the most cost-effective and beneficial manner
Supports and aligns with USEPA ‘Integrated Watershed Planning’ framework
21
Preliminary Approach - Adaptive Management for PWSA
Desire to optimize the proposed solution Gray vs. green mix Types/applications of green infrastructure (GI)
Short term goal: secure approval to modify the compliance approach to use GI solutions in conjunction with gray solutions
Long term goal: establish a process which provides flexibility to meet water quality goals through the most cost-effective and beneficial means.
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Short Term Decision Points
#1 - Regional/regulatory support to move forward with GI initiatives
#2 - Technical justification from feasibility, performance, and cost standpoints
#3 - Performance warrants incorporation of GI into plan
Issue update to regulators for modification of Consent Order and Agreement
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Draft - Short Term ProcessYEAR 1 YEAR 2-4 YEAR 4-5
Decision Point #1:Regional/regulatory
support to move forward with GI
initiatives
• Submit Feasibility Study
• Coordinate w/ regulators
• Develop inter-agency GI task force
• Continued public outreach
• Coordinate w/ regional partners
• Plan early demonst. projects
• Initiate changes to promote and facilitate GI
Decision Point #2:Technical justification
from feasibility, performance, and cost standpoint
• Implement early demonstration projects
• Conduct system-wide GI alternatives assessment
• Initiate further changes to promote and facilitate GI
• Develop GI design and maintenance manuals
• Develop monitoring and tracking plan
Decision Point #3:Performance
warrants incorporation of
‘green’
• Monitoring and assessment
• Initiate further changes to promote and facilitate GI
• Development of Adaptive Management Plan
Revert to Gray Infrastructure
Revert to Gray Infrastructure
Preferred Outcome:
Modify Consent Order and Agreement to
include green infrastructure
• Submit revised plan to Regulators
24
Long Term Considerations
Desire flexibility to choose between green and gray solutions based on measured past performance
Desire flexibility to achieve stormwater improvements through various means i.e. - private vs. public improvements
Desire flexibility to focus on integrated watershed planning instead of a narrow focus on CSOs
25
Conclusions
PWSA to initiate progress on time-sensitive gray solutions while evaluating feasibility of green approaches
Establish initial actions and series of decision points for moving forward with the ‘greening of the wet weather plan’
Establish a more flexible framework which will allow for adaptation and optimization of the plan as it is implemented
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