Page last updated November 14, 2024.
As part of City Utilities’ investment in reducing combined sewage flow in the rivers, this $11 million investment will serve the Indian Village neighborhood and protect the St. Marys River. Nearly 20 million gallons of combined sewage flows into the St. Marys each year from the current piping system for this area. A 48-inch diameter consolidation sewer pipe and a large diversion structure are being constructed. They will go under Bluffton Road, the St. Marys, and Foster Park to connect to the drop shaft near Old Mill Road and the Three Rivers Protection and Overflow Protection Tunnel (3RPORT).
This is a challenging project near Indian Village that will require digging down more than 30 feet in a tight space between Manito Boulevard and Bluffton Road on property owned by the City. All necessary safety measures will be in place during the construction process to ensure the safety of both our workers and the public. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this time.
Crews are beginning to install the last diversion structure (pictured above) which will help with convey combined sewage overflow from the St. Marys River to the Foster Park Sewer, then to the Three Rivers Protection Overflow Reduction Tunnel (3RPORT).
Following the installation, restoration of the construction site will begin.
To learn more on the 3RPORT, see the “project overview” tab
The intersection of Indian Village Boulevard / Manito Boulevard is closed.
What will the project entail?
The 48” consolidation sewers will convey CSO from the St. Mary’s River to the new weather pump station which will then pump flows to the 3RPORT (tunnel) system.
This project will keep more than 20 million gallons of combined sewage out of the St. Mary’s River each year once it is completed.
What are CSOs?
In a combined sewer system, wastewater and stormwater flow through the same pipes. The combination of both flows can overwhelm the combined sewage system causing an outfall into nearby waterbodies. These outfalls are called CSOs.
CSOs are a major pollution and public health concern since they can contain bacteria and other toxic substances. They pose a danger to people, pets, and plants.
City Utilities, in compliance with the U.S Environmental Protection Agency, has implemented a combined sewer outflow (CSO) Long Term Control Plan to reduce the volume of combined sewage that is discharged into the waterways within the City of Fort Wayne.
Three Rivers Protection & Overflow Reduction Tunnel (3RPORT)
Part of City Utilities’ Tunnel Works program, the 3RPORT will collect and transport sewage from locations where Fort Wayne’s combined sewer system might overflow during wet weather to the sewage treatment plant. The completion of the Tunnel Works program, expected in 2025, will reduce combined sewage overflows to St. Marys and Maumee Rivers by 90%, from about 71 times in a typical year, to just four.
Contact
Ron Sheppard
Construction Manager