Peduto, County Officials Seek Green Solution To Water & Sewer Overhaul

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) Its the largest Public Works project in the history of the region.

Its bigger than Heinz Field, PNC Park and Pittsburgh International Airport combined.

The overhaul cost of Pittsburgh and Allegheny Countys antiquated water and sewer systems is estimated at between $2-$3 billion.

However, Mayor Bill Peduto wants to put the brakes on it.

KDKA Investigator Andy Sheehan says the mayor has told the federal government the plan is too grey and he wants to make it green. But, hell need another year-and-a-half to do that.

Every time it rains, our antiquated sewers get over-burdened and dump raw sewage into our rivers and streams.

The city and 83 municipal sewer authorities are under federal orders to fix that. But, in an eleventh hour appeal, Mayor Peduto is telling the feds not so fast.

Meetings as late as last week at the White House, Peduto said.

In a letter to the president and the Environmental Protection Agency obtained by KDKA, the mayor and County Executive Rich Fitzgerald are asking for an additional year-and-a-half to revamp the plan, which they reject as being too grey meaning too much concrete and steel.

They prefer green solutions like a water retention trench constructed recently in Schenley Park, which traps the water. That water is slowly absorbed into the ground and would slow the rampant runoff that overloads our combined storm and sanitary sewers.

Visit link:
Peduto, County Officials Seek Green Solution To Water & Sewer Overhaul