April 25, 2017 -- A RAND Corporation study released yesterday calls needed attention to the enormous work that lies ahead to ensure the clean waterways that are essential for the health and economic of vitality of the region for generations to come.

The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority has plans in motion to tackle the problem, and RAND’s analysis concludes that two of ALCOSAN’s first steps make sense. The study says a proposed, $335 million expansion of the wastewater treatment facility on Pittsburgh’s North Side “can yield substantial and cost-effective overflow reduction.” It also affirms the wisdom of ALCOSAN’s strategy of using green infrastructure and other means to remove stormwater runoff and ground water infiltration while assessing that technology to make sure it will be effective on a large scale.

“This study demonstrates the need for speed in moving ALCOSAN’s clean water plans forward,” said ALCOSAN Executive Director Arletta Scott Williams. “That is why we already have undertaken multimillion projects at the wastewater plant itself, and why we have invested $9 million this year alone in municipal projects to reduce excess flow throughout our service area.”

ALCOSAN is eager to join with RAND and other careful planners to meet the region’s challenge for clean water.

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