Background

Post-construction compliance monitoring is the final step in the Toledo Waterways Initiative (TWI) program.

TWI began when its legal agreement, or Consent Decree, with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the Ohio (OEPA) was signed in December 2002. The agreement focused on eliminating untreated bypasses at the Bay View Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), eliminating all known sanitary sewer discharges (SSDs) and reducing combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in the collection system. Regarding CSO reduction, a Long-Term Control Plan (LTCP) was required by the Consent Decree to plan for, design and construct facilities to meet the federally mandated requirements.

What is Post-Construction Compliance Monitoring?

The approved LTCP requires that, upon completing construction of all CSO control measures, the City of Toledo will initiate a 12-month program to collect real data on the operation of the various facilities constructed under the TWI program and each of its active CSO outfalls to determine when CSO discharges occur and their volumes. A draft work plan for the 12-month compliance monitoring program was submitted to USEPA for approval in August 2019.

Upon completion of the 12-month compliance monitoring period, actual facility performance data will be evaluated by the City’s TWI compliance team. The results of the evaluation will be submitted in various reports to the USEPA so they can determine whether or not the City of Toledo has met all of its Consent Decree requirements.

When Is TWI Complete?

TWI will have achieved post-construction compliance once the U.S. EPA and the Ohio EPA certify that the City of Toledo is in compliance with all of the provisions of the Consent Decree. At that time, the TWI program and the Consent Decree will be considered closed. The facilities and control measures constructed under the TWI program will continue to ensure improved public health and recreation through improved water quality in the Toledo area for many years to come.