Using a Framework to Determine Relative Overflow Consequences for the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati

The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati District (MSDGC) is advancing its capabilities in real-time control to better leverage capacity in the existing collection system and optimize treatment plant operations during wet weather. MSDGC has taken a watershed-based approach in the development of operational tools that incorporate system-wide data to best manage operable equipment. While targeted real-time control can be effective in mitigating localized or smaller rain events at one location, implementing controls for a broad area or watershed, requires an understanding of the relative impact, or consequence of overflow, at each overflow due to the interconnected nature of the sewer system.To address this, MSDGC developed a Consequence of Overflow Framework (Framework) which provides a methodology of ranking each overflow location, in order to provide an important element of the decision support and control system algorithms. This value-based framework incorporates aspects of the MSDGC environmental, social, and economic goals.