KANSAS CITY, MO, Sept. 15, 2009 -- The City of Kansas City, Mo., Water Services Department has announced that design activities have started for the Middle Blue River Basin Green Solutions Pilot Project. The contract was approved by the City Council in August. The Pilot Project area extends from 73rd Street to 77th Terrace and Holmes Road to Paseo Boulevard.
The $1,061,682 contract with URS Corp., will involve the design of green solutions to reduce combined sewer overflows within an approximate 100-acre area of Middle Blue River Basin. URS Corp. will be assisted by subcontractors including Barr Engineering, DRG Engineers, Libretto Communications, Parson Associates, Patti Banks Associates, Shockey Consulting and Taliaferro & Browne.
As part of the Overflow Control Plan, the 100-acre pilot project is expected to be the largest installation of green solutions for combined sewer overflow control currently being planned for construction in the United States. It represents just one component of the City's commitment to use green solutions to control runoff as part of the Overflow Control Plan that was submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources in January.
Preliminary field investigations for the conceptual design phase were completed in May. It is presently anticipated that construction within the pilot project will begin in spring 2010 and continue for up to two construction seasons. Following the completion of construction, the City will measure and monitor the effectiveness of the green solutions in reducing runoff. Information obtained from this project will be used to guide the design of green solutions throughout Kansas City. For more information, visit http:/www.kcmo.org/targetgreen.
For more information, contact Colleen Doctorian, public information officer for the Water Services Department at (816) 513-0232.
The Kansas City, Mo., Water Services Department maintains and operates water collection, processing and distribution systems, stormwater management and control systems, and wastewater collection and processing systems for residential and business customers in Kansas City and for wholesale customers in the Kansas City region. Operation is funded entirely by fees charged to customers based on their use of products and services, not by taxes.
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