A Toolbox for Sanitary Sewer Overflow Analysis and Planning (SSOAP) and Applications

Rainfall-derived infiltration and inflow (RDII) into sanitary sewer systems has long been recognized as a source of operating problems in these systems. RDII is the main cause of sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) to basements, streets, or nearby streams and the resulting high flows can also cause serious operating problems at wastewater treatment facilities. To assist municipalities in developing plans to mitigate SSO problems, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency signed a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with Camp Dresser & McKee, Inc. to develop a public-domain Sanitary Sewer Overflow Analysis and Planning (SSOAP) Toolbox. In addition, the CRADA will prepare a technical document and a SSOAP user's manual to guide the application of the SSOAP Toolbox for performing capacity analysis of a sanitary sewer system and developing SSO control plans. The Toolbox will be ready soon for beta testing by the public. The SSOAP and the RDII methodology in performing capacity analyses of sanitary sewer systems and developing SSO control plans will be described in this paper.