The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) marked a historic milestone today, officially breaking ground on the Ohio River Tunnel.
Elected officials, community leaders, project partners, and ALCOSAN leadership and staff gathered at the AS1 construction site to recognize the next chapter in one of the region's most significant public infrastructure investments, aimed at reducing sewer overflows by seven billion gallons per year.
The Ohio River Tunnel is the first component of ALCOSAN's Regional Tunnel System, designed to capture excess wastewater during wet weather and transport it to the wastewater plant for treatment.
“This groundbreaking is more than the start to construction,” said ALCOSAN Executive Director Arletta Scott Williams. “Arriving at this day required grit, determination and commitment from countless people. Today is a day to celebrate, but we also know there is work ahead. We have the people, the expertise and the resolve to carry us through the next phase, and I am incredibly proud of the work that’s been done to get us here.”
The Regional Tunnel System is a pillar of ALCOSAN's Clean Water Plan, a multibillion-dollar effort to modernize the region's wastewater infrastructure and improve water quality. The plan combines Plant Expansion, The Regional Tunnel System, Regionalization, and green infrastructure projects through ALCOSAN's GROW program.
The Ohio River Tunnel will be 4.9 miles in length, and consist of six construction sites within the city, as well as two in Mckees Rocks. The main tunnel will run from the North Shore to ALCOSAN’s treatment plant. Smaller tunnels will connect to the main tunnel, capturing flows from the Saw Mill Run and Chartiers Creek areas.
With the groundbreaking complete, Steel City Tunnel Partners will begin the drilling the first access shafts to prepare for the arrival of the Tunnel Boring Machine late next year.
Recently, ALCOSAN achieved another historic milestone, officially reaching 480 million gallons a day (MGD) capacity, meeting a key compliance target under its Consent Decree. The expanded capacity is expected to reduce overflows by 3.4 billion gallons a year.
As work progresses, ALCOSAN will continue providing project updates and information to residents and communities near construction sites.
For additional information about the Ohio River Tunnel and the Regional Tunnel System, visit alcosandigscleanwater.com