Communicating with the Public on Water Quality and Economic Issues during LTCP and UAA Development

This paper will examine methods for building support among key stakeholders for a Use Attainability Analysis related to combined sewer overflows. In 2006, the City of Indianapolis received regulatory approval of a Long-Term Control Plan that will reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) from 45–80 events per typical year to 2–4 events. Because those residual CSO events will cause violations of Indiana's current water quality standards, the City also conducted a Use Attainability Analysis (UAA) to support creation of a CSO wet-weather recreational use subcategory for affected waterways. Public outreach is a critical element to any UAA that seeks to modify water quality standards to accommodate CSO discharges. In order to be successful, public involvement should exceed regulatory requirements, be designed to meet stakeholder needs, emphasize water quality benefits, be conducted face-to-face, involve elected officials, and emphasize the financial and legal risks if the UAA is not approved.