• Brief Summary
• Overview Description of the CSO Control Program
  
• What are CSOs?
  
• CSO Demonstration Projects
  
• MDEQ Criteria for Success in CSO Treatment
  
• Technical Papers and Professional Presentations on CSO Control Program
• CSO Technical Reports-Monitoring and Other
  
• Emerging Information on CSO Facility Performance
  
• Environmental Results

The objectives of the Rouge Projects combined sewer overflow (CSO) control program include the goal of adding to the knowledge base for CSO characteristics and control options. The Rouge CSO control program will help to assess the need for additional CSO controls within the Rouge watershed, and will assess the necessary level of control to meet water quality goals. The information from the Rouge Project will be a demonstration for others in the country to use as they proceed with their CSO control program.

CSO controls are being implemented in three phases as established through NPDES permits:

• Phase I elimination of raw sewage and the protection of public health for approximately 40 percent of the combined sewer area
• Phase II public health protection for the remaining combined sewer area
• Phase III meet water quality standards in the Rouge River

Under Phase I, six communities have separated their sewers and eight communities have constructed 10 retention treatment basins. Each of these basins is sized for different design storms and several employ innovative technology. Facilities also incorporate a variety of additional features or variations in compartment sizing and sequencing in an effort to improve their effectiveness.

A detailed evaluation study of the CSO control basins completed to date is underway to examine the performance of the facilities and the water quality impacts of their discharges. The results of the evaluation study, coupled with efforts to control storm water and other pollution sources in the watershed, will provide the basis for the Phase II and Phase III CSO control program on the remaining CSO sources in the watershed. The information gained from the evaluation of design storms and control technologies will be useful nationwide on determining cost effective CSO controls to meet water quality standards.

As a result of the CSO control program to date, 130 miles of stream are now free of CSO discharges. All of the completed basins are controlling CSOs at a rate of about 4 billion gallons per year. As a result of the CSO controls to date and other watershed restoration efforts, the dissolved oxygen water quality standard (5 mg/l) is being met in the river during dry weather at many locations for the first time in years. The aesthetics of the river are greatly improved. Also, there are more sightings of larger and more diverse species of fish. And finally, the recreational use of the River is expanding at an increasing rate.

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The Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project is funded, in part, by the United States Environmental Protection Agency grants number X995743-01, 02, 03, 04, 05, and 06, and number C995743-01.