Sewer Overflow Bill Passes House Overwhelmingly

Water Quality Investment Act of 2007 (H.R. 569) was originally approved by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in February

By a vote of 367 to 58, the House of Representatives approved legislation to authorize appropriations for the Environmental Protection Agency’s sewer overflow control grant program, despite opposition from the White House. The Water Quality Investment Act of 2007 (H.R. 569) amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to authorize appropriations to assist municipalities and states in controlling combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs).

CSOs occur when high volumes of rainwater or snowmelt exceed the capacity of a municipality’s collection and treatment system. The excess flow, which is untreated and often contains raw sewage and industrial wastes, is diverted and discharged directly into receiving waters, thus bypassing the sewage treatment plants. These discharges of diluted untreated wastewater, which violate both State and Federal water pollution laws, often occur in recreational areas, fish habitat and shellfish beds that may become contaminated.

Discharges of untreated sewage from municipal SSOs come from manholes, broken pipes and deteriorated infrastructure, and undersized pipes, and can occur in wet or dry weather. Unlike CSOs, SSOs transport only sanitary wastes.

For the rest of this article please visit transportation.house.gov.