Project

As part of a long-term effort to reduce basement backups and sewer overflows, MSD Project Clear is designing a project to replace approximately 9,200 feet of wastewater sewer and 4,200 feet of stormwater sewer in the cities of Richmond Heights and Clayton, Missouri. MSD Project Clear will also disconnect sources where stormwater and groundwater enter the wastewater sewers (known as inflow and infiltration) from approximately 65 private properties.

The project is estimated to begin construction in late 2023.

View August 20, 2020 Virtual Town Hall Project Presentation

Why is this project being designed?

MSD Project Clear has a long-term agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Missouri Coalition for the Environment to improve the quality of the St. Louis area waterways. As part of that agreement, MSD is committed to removing overflow points, known as combined sewer overflows (CSOs), where wastewater discharges directly into creeks and streams before being cleaned at one of our seven treatment plants.

As part of their evaluation, our team of engineers determined that the sewers in this area needed to be separated. They also discovered several places where stormwater was entering MSD’s wastewater sewer system, known as inflow and infiltration. When stormwater enters the wastewater sewers, the pipes can become overwhelmed, increasing the likelihood of backups in homes and businesses and overflows into local waterways. It also reduces the efficiency of the wastewater treatment plants, costing MSD and its customers more money to clean wastewater before returning it to the environment.

What is the goal of this project?

To fix the problem described above, MSD Project Clear is investing approximately $14.4 million to separate the sewers in this area, increase the size of the wastewater and stormwater pipes and to disconnect sources of inflow and infiltration from about 65 private properties. This will reduce the likelihood of basement backups in homes and businesses and will allow MSD to remove one constructed overflow point (known as a CSO) from its wastewater sewer system.

Project Facts

• Construction is estimated to begin in late 2023
• MSD Project Clear will construct approximately 9,200 feet of wastewater pipe varying in size from 6” to 30” in diameter and 4,200 lineal feet of stormwater pipe varying in size from 12” to 21”
• For the majority of the project, MSD’s contractor will put the pipe in by digging through the surface, a process known as “open-cut.”

What can residents expect?

Though construction for this project is not estimated to begin until 2023, it is important to be prepared for what to expect. Beginning in August 2020, MSD will also begin contacting property owners to obtain necessary easements for properties MSD will need access to in order to construct the project, including property owners for the 65 properties where MSD will disconnect sources of inflow and infiltration.

During construction, MSD’s contractor will put the pipe in by digging through the surface, a process known as “open-cut.” Because much of the construction takes place in the roadway, customers may experience lane and road closures. However, MSD will have a traffic mitigation plan to ensure residents have access to homes and businesses, and at least one lane of traffic will remain open at all times.

With any construction, residents can expect to see and hear heavy equipment during the sewer excavation process. The pictures above depict what a neighborhood will look like before, during, and after a typical project.

After the contractor installs all new pipes, they will restore the construction site according to all local and District requirements. This could include sodding disturbed areas, replacing disturbed pavement, reinstalling fences, etc.

At least one MSD Inspector will be on-site part of the day for every day the contractor is working.

What is the timeline?

This is the current tentative project schedule. This is subject to change based on a variety of factors, including weather.

• Design phase completion: Early 2023
• Easement acquisition: August 2020 – February 2022
• Estimated construction start date: Late 2023*
• Estimated construction duration: Approximately 2 years

*Anticipated construction start date is subject to change. MSD will notify residents before beginning construction.