Date
Inquiry

The infill project we are currently working on requires rainfall onsite to be deposited in existing drainage and combined sewer networks at the same rates as the predevelopment conditions. The City of Sacramento has mandated that we refrain from drainage shed-swapping. This requirement requires 0.60 acres of the 2.51 acre site to be drained to the combined sewer. In order to meet the requirements for SSc6.2, we\'ve currently designed 2 stormfilter structures to treat 91% of the average annual rainfall to 90% TSS. One treated outfall connects to a dedicated drainage system while the other connects to a combined sewer. As an alternative to using 2 stormfilter structures, we propose to omit one of the filters and to use one stormfilter in order to treat only the portion of the site that flows to the dedicated drainage system. Our reasoning is that constructing, transporting, and installing a treatment structure that discharges to a combined sewer would not make economic or environmental sense. The treated outflow from the site would be much cleaner than the contents of the combined sewer. While our proposed solution does not meet the letter of the SSc6.2 requirements, we believe that, at the bottom line, it\'s a more sustainable approach, and that it meets the intent of SS6.2. Using our proposed approach, would our project still quality for the SSc6.2 credit?

Ruling

The alternative of deleting the second filter that is intended to treat the site flows that are discharge to the combined sewer is not acceptable. TSS that is discharged to the combined sewer must be treated at some point in the total cycle, and untreated discharge from the site implies that treatment must occur downstream from the subject property. The intent of this credit is to minimize site impacts on downstream conditions. Even though the site discharge is into a combined sewer, treatment for TSS is still required prior to reuse or discharge of the treated water from the treatment plant. Reducing TSS at the site translates to less treatment for TSS downstream. Please see Credit Interpretation Ruling dated 3/30/2005 for a similar response to this situation. Applicable Internationally.

Internationally Applicable
On
Campus Applicable
Off
Credits