Digging into the Deep Tunnel Solution the Eagle Creek CSO Abatement Project

In less than one year, Citizens Energy Group (Citizens) and a team of consultants and contractors envisioned, studied, designed, and mined a sixth deep tunnel as part of Citizens’ DigIndy program. The Eagle Creek Deep Tunnel was a vast departure and enhancement from the originally conceived shallow interceptor system that comprised the Eagle Creek CSO Abatement Project included in Citizens’ Federal Consent Decree Long-Term Control Plan. This paper will address the rationale behind questioning an established design concept, the chronology of implementing a large project under a compressed schedule, a focus on the collaboration necessary to successfully implement a $37-million deep rock tunnel project in less than one year, unique contract terms that built on previous lessons learned and focused on risk sharing with the tunneling contractor, a look back at the deep tunnel construction, and a summary of the positive economic and third-party impacts resulting from the deep tunnel solution.