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The City of Indianapolis Department
of Public Works and Donohue & Associates, Inc. received
an Honor Award from the American Council of Engineering
Companies (ACEC) of Indiana for their recent project
at White River CSO Outfall 039. This project was one
of eight entries to receive an Honor Award in Indiana,
and also earned finalist status in ACEC's 2006 National
competition.
As part of the City of Indianapolis' plan to restore
its waterways, a 3 million-gallon underground storage/primary
treatment structure was built to significantly reduce raw
sewage overflows into the White River. The aesthetically-pleasing
facilities capture, treat, and store wastewater and storm
water until flows can be sent to the wastewater treatment
plant.
The project is located in a high profile downtown area,
near the IUPUI-Indianapolis stadium and baseball field,
White River State Park, City Zoo, and a heavily used river
walk.
The cast-in-place concrete structure was constructed completely
below grade in the White River floodplain and covered with
topsoil and grass. Cleverly tucked into the embankment,
the structure's electrical and automated control
building provides an overlook for individuals enjoying
the scenic river walk.
The facilities provide an effective and virtually undetectable
solution to an unsightly and odorous overflow problem and
safeguard the public's health and welfare.
Innovative engineering practices were utilized to meet
the challenging and unique needs of this project, including
automated flushing gates to clean out the structure and
minimize odors, and thickened and heavily reinforced floor
slab to prevent the structure from rising during flooding.
The project benefits provide improved White River water
quality, fewer raw sewage overflows into the river, healthier
and safer waters flowing through downtown, and the removal
of unhealthy and unsightly debris.
"It's really quite remarkable how well the
tank disappeared into the bank. They are much less noticeable
than even I expected," stated Bob Masbaum, Assistant
Administrator, Department of Public Works
"The tank will control one of the largest sources
of raw sewage overflow in the City. Between July and December
2001, overflows occurred 29 times at this location. With
the storage tank in place, five overflows would have occurred,"
stated Bart Peterson, Mayor, City of Indianapolis in the
City of Indianapolis Clean Stream Program Fact Sheet
Award criteria includes uniqueness and originality, technical,
social and economic value, complexity, and success of the
projects in meeting goals.
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