The Cooperative Approach to CSO reduction program
Program Summary Report
- Available for download: Cooperative Approach to CSO Reduction Final Report PDF Format
What exactly was it?
The City of Bremerton applied for and received a Centennial Clean Water Fund Grant to help property owners separate their stormwater systems from the sanitary sewer. This grant funded a program called the "Cooperative Approach to Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Reduction" from 2000 to 2003. The program continued through the end of 2003 with wastewater utility funding and was closed down at the beginning of 2004. Participation in the program was voluntary and required the property owner to request the City's assistance. The City still provides site assesments as needed or requested.
- Program goals needed to accomplish two things:
- Educate citizens, elected officials, business and property owners about CSOs, point source pollution and the requirements placed on the City by state and federal regulations.
- Assist Bremerton's property owners in the separation of stormwater from the sanitary sewer system to get their property in compliance with City ordinance that requires this separation by January 1, 2005.
This is how these goals were achieved:
- Education accomplished by providing:
- Direct mail campaign that included a letter and brochure about the program benefits
- Personalized assistance to property owners at their request
- Brochures that described the program and how to separate stormwater from the sanitary sewer
- A Video about the CSO program and how to complete your own downspout separation
- An Internet web site that includes: Animations of how CSOs occur in the sewer system
- All brochure materials and related document summaries
- Newspaper advertisements
- Billboards placed throughout Bremerton for several months
- Inserts in the water bills to notify customers of the program's existence
- Rain barrel program to promote water conversation and demonstrate runoff potential from a roof
- Assistance accomplished by providing:
- Free site assessments to determine the property's needs for separation
- Free assistance to property owners prior to, during and post separation
- Reimbursement funds were allocated from the City's Wastewater Utility to help pay for separation projects on residential properties. Amount of reimbursement was based on site assessment findings and payment schedule authorization by City resolution.
- Standardized drawings for separation were prepared for general use
- Workshops to share program goals and objectives, demonstrations on how to work with downspouts and splash blocks
- Discussion on why control of stormwater is so important to the property
- General question and answer opportunities
- Letter of agreement/contract between the City and property owner
Summary of Program accomplishments
| Notifications sent | 11,312 |
| Workshops completed | 12 |
| Phone calls | 5,000 |
| Site assessments completed | 5,900 |
| Separations completed | 390 |
| Area removed from the sanitary sewer system | More than 500,000 ft^2 |
| Estimated amount of water per inch of rain | 280,000 gallons |
| Impervious surface removed | More than 300,000 ft^2 |
| Right-of-way separations paid for by the grant | 44 |
| Residential separation reimbursements paid for by City utilities | 307 |
| Reimbursements paid to City property owners who participated in the program | $49,260 |
| Website visits | >More than 250,000 per year |
The Program achieved a 38% response to direct mail notifications, 22% of inspected properties were connected and 59% of those have completed separation work.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the program and know that your efforts have made a difference to the wastewater utility, your community and the local environment.
Sincerely,
Chance Berthiaume
Environmental Technician
Project coordinator
Free site assessments or connection status for properties within Bremerton's City limits is available by contacting 360-473-5929. Financial assistance is no longer available.
