Eliminating the Grand River Overflows: 27 Years in the Making

The City of Grand Rapids started Phase I of the combined sewer overflow (CSO) program in 1989 with a 30-million gallon retention basin to hold storm and sanitary water during significant rain events. Phase II of this effort, the 52 contract Westside CSO Program began in 1990 and ended in 1998. Phase III, the Eastside CSO Program began in 2004 which was comprised of 35 contracts and was recently completed in July of 2015. With the completion of this project and approximately $400 million spent, all 59 identified overflows are now eliminated, which prior to separation would overflow approximately five to eight times per year. Approximately 120 miles of new sewer pipelines were placed through commercial and business districts, residential and historic neighborhoods as well as in wetland areas and adjacent to and under creeks and railroads. Pipes have been installed in a variety of methods including pipe jacking, bore and jack, cast-in-place, open cut and pipe rehabilitation such as CIPP lining. Many sustainable or “green” infrastructure solutions and low impact development designs have been incorporated into these traditionally “gray” infrastructure projects.