Cincinnati’s “Smart Sewer” Reduces Overflows and Cuts Costs From $0.23/gallon to $0.01/gallon

The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (known as MSD) protects public health and the environment through the safe and efficient collection and treatment of wastewater for 43 of the 49 political subdivisions in Hamilton County, Ohio, and small parts of Butler, Clermont, and Warren counties.
 
MSD's service area encompasses 290+ square miles and serves a population of more than 850,000. MSD maintains about 3,000 miles of sanitary and combined sewers and operates seven major wastewater treatment plants, more than 100 pump stations, two package treatment plants and several high-rate treatment facilities. About 160 million gallons of wastewater is treated daily.

Compliance with federal mandate
 
Increase existing sewer system efficiency to address Consent Decree (federal mandate) to keep raw sewage mixed with stormwater out of waterways when it rains.

A wet weather operational program for monitoring and control
 
Using iFIX HMI/SCADA and Historian from GE Vernova in a Wet Weather Operational Optimization system, Greater Cincinnati MSD monitors flow levels and controlling gates and valves to direct flows, allowing the utility to store flows inside large interceptor sewers, storage tanks, and high-rate treatment facilities in different parts of the sewer system. The software also delivers the visibility for operators to make informed decisions and optimize the use of the interceptors, avoiding overflowing systems that are at capacity. 

“Smart Sewer” optimizes operations