PRINTER'S NO. 673
No. 23 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY MOWERY, MUSTO, AFFLERBACH AND SLOCUM,
MARCH 7, 1997
REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, MARCH 7, 1997
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control
2 and Conservation Committee to study the issues concerning the
3 environmental, technological, economic and regulatory
4 constraints and problems that may impede the prevention and
5 abatement of hydraulically overloaded municipal sewage
6 treatment facilities as regulated by the current municipal
7 wasteload management regulatory program administered by the
8 Department of Environmental Protection under 25 Pa.Code Ch.
9 94.
10 WHEREAS, Infiltration of groundwater into sanitary sewers
11 during wet weather is a serious, common problem shared by all
12 municipalities who depend on public sewage systems for treatment
13 of waste water; and
14 WHEREAS, This infiltration may often cause total flow to
15 exceed six or more times the normal dry weather flow conditions,
16 resulting in gross overloading of sewage treatment facilities,
17 often causing sewer system manholes to overflow, discharging
18 sewage onto land and streets, creating a public nuisance and
19 allowing the sewage to find its way into underground aquifers
20 and surface waterways, creating a potential public health hazard
21 by environmental pollution; and
1 WHEREAS, The abatement of this problem costs the citizens of
2 our Commonwealth, or would cost if all affected municipalities
3 properly addressed the problem, tens of millions of dollars each
4 year using presently available repair techniques; and
5 WHEREAS, This problem is likely to recur continuously into
6 the foreseeable future and grow even worse with inevitable new
7 population growth and land development; and
8 WHEREAS, A much less expensive method of abatement is highly
9 desirable and thought to be possible; therefore be it
10 RESOLVED (the House of Representatives concurring), That the
11 General Assembly direct the Joint Legislative Air and Water
12 Pollution Control and Conservation Committee to undertake a
13 comprehensive study to investigate and determine the exact
14 extent and nature of the problem; and be it further
15 RESOLVED, That to accomplish this goal, the Joint Legislative
16 Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee may
17 hold hearings, take testimony and make its investigations at
18 such places as it deems necessary in this Commonwealth; and be
19 it further
20 RESOLVED, That the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution
21 Control and Conservation Committee, during the conduct of its
22 study, solicit from private industry, academia, State agencies
23 and individuals and any other organizations recommendations as
24 to alternate techniques and procedures to abate or correct the
25 problem at significantly reduced cost; and be it further
26 RESOLVED, That the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution
27 Control and Conservation Committee prepare a preliminary report
28 containing its initial findings by December 15, 1997, to the
29 Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of the House of
30 Representatives and prepare a final report containing its
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1 complete findings and recommendations by November 30, 1998, to
2 the Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of the House of
3 Representatives for further legislative action as each House of
4 the General Assembly may deem appropriate.
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