What the City Does About CSOs

CSO Action Plan
In March of 1994 the City of Cumberland prepared a CSO Plan of Action for submittal to the Maryland Department of Environment. While assembling the CSO Plan of Action it became clear that many of the Operational and Maintenance related items outlined in the plan were already being performed by city forces. The plan was put into effect immediately. In June of 1997 the CSO Plan of Action was revised and submitted to the Maryland Department of Environment.

Operations and Maintenance work performed in accordance with the CSO Plan of Action includes: Inspection of the Overflows, Maintenance and Inspection of the Regulating Devices, Catch Basin Cleaning, Maximize treatment at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, Street Sweeping, Reduce use of Gravel or Sand in Snow Removal, Enforcement of Industrial Pretreatment Program, & TV Inspection and Power Cleaning of Sewer Lines.

Capital Improvements performed in accordance with the CSO Plan of Action includes: Modifications to Existing Regulating Devices, Improved Mapping of the City's Sewer System, and Expansion of Existing Storm Sewer System.

Long Term Control Plan
In October of 1998 as a part of the City of Cumberland's continued CSO reduction effort a Long Term Control Plan for Combined Sewer Overflows was prepared by Whitman, Requardt and Associates, LLP of Baltimore, Maryland. This plan was submitted to the Maryland Department of the Environment as required by the Schedule of Interim Deliverables in NPDES Permit No. 96-DP-0567.

The main focus of the Long Term Control Plan was CSO activities related to the National Park Services' C&O Canal Rewatering Project. The plan also outlined the Inventory of Overflow Locations, the start of a CAD-based map of the sewer system, the system monitoring, and system modeling.

Prior to the Plans
Prior to the development of the CSO plans the City of Cumberland had previously eliminated several CSO's. An overflow and discharge point was eliminated with the improvements to the Wastewater Treatment Plant in late 1975, and another was eliminated with the construction of the Candoc Lane Storm Sewer in 1977. Also the weir height was raised in several diversion manholes to reduce the number of CSO occurrences.

Another effort by the city which helps to reduce or eliminate CSO's includes the installation of storm sewers, where possible, during the reconstruction of city streets. The installation of the storm sewers not only helps with the CSO problem, but extends the life of the roadway.