Deep Tunnel - How it works
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What is the Deep Tunnel? It's a system of massive sewers that help reduce water pollution by storing excess wastewater 140 to 330 feet underground until there is capacity to treat it at the reclamation facilities.  click image for larger view Separated Sewer Area: Sanitary flows from homes and businesses drain to your municipality's sewer system and then to the regional sewer system. Regional sewers take the wastewater to either the Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility in Milwaukee, or the South Shore Water Reclamation Facility in Oak Creek. Storm sewers do not receive flows when there is no rain. Combined Sewer Area: During dry weather, the combined sewer area operates the same as the separated sewer area. Wet Weather Flow  click image for larger view Separated Sewer Area: When it rains, sanitary sewers act the same way they do in dry weather. However, the pipes transport heavier flows due to cracks in sewer pipes that allow rainwater to leak into the sanitary system. When the flows become too much for the regional system to handle, they are diverted to the Deep Tunnel system for storage until there is capacity at the reclamation facilities to clean the water. Storm sewers collect polluted runoff that flows from streets, parking lots, yards and parks. Those flows empty directly to rivers and lakes. Combined Sewer Area: Because they transport sanitary wastewater and stormwater from the streets, flows in the combined sewer area increase greatly when it rains. It's not from people using more water at home or work. Instead, greater volumes of polluted runoff from streets, parking lots, yards and parks fill the combined sewers. When flows from the combined sewers overwhelm the regional sewer system they are diverted to the Deep Tunnel for storage until there is room at the reclamation facilities to clean the water.  click image for larger view |