News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:	Wednesday, June 23, 1999
Contact:	Angelita Plemmer, City Manager's Office, (703) 838-4300; Larry Gavan, City Environmental Scientist, ; City of Alexandria (703) 519-3400 Ext. 1800

City Holds Public Meeting on Combined Sewer Overflow Program

The City of Alexandria and its consultant, Greeley and Hansen, will hold a public meeting on Tuesday, June 29, starting at 7:30 p.m., in Room 2000 of City Hall (301 King Street). The purpose of the hearing is to share with citizens the latest information on the City's ongoing efforts to improve its Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) program, and to receive public comment on the City's Combined Sewer System-Long Term Control Plan (CSS-LTCP). The meeting also will enable citizens to review recent studies and background information relating to the City's combined sewers. Copies of pertinent materials are now available at Alexandria library branches.

Portions of Alexandria, like many of the nation's older cities, are served by sewer systems that carry both stormwater runoff and sewage. Approximately 500 acres of the Old Town area, east of U.S. Route 1, are served by combined sewers. During dry weather periods, sewage in the combined sewers flows to the Alexandria Sanitation Authority's Sewage Treatment Plant where it is treated before being discharged into Hunting Creek. During major storms, when flows exceed the capacity of the combined sewer system, excess flow is discharged into tidal waters.

In order to control these discharges, the City has implemented a number of measures, collectively called the Nine Minimum Control Plan, including weekly inspections of CSO discharge points, periodic sewer, catch basin and street cleaning, and litter control activities. These measures have proven effective in minimizing water quality impacts from CSO discharges. The City has adopted the Nine Minimum Control Plan as its Combined Sewer System-Long Term Control Plan. The June 29 public hearing is intended to receive comment on this Plan.

For further information, contact the City's Watershed Program Administrator, Larry Gavan at (703) 519-3400, Ext. 1800.