The Southeast Area Combined Sewer Improvements (SEACSI) project in Shorewood, Wisconsin, has been awarded an APWA Wisconsin Chapter Project of the Year Award for the Cities/Rural Communities – Disaster or Emergency Construction/Repair.
The Village of Shorewood is currently served by both combined and separated sewer collection systems and is one of only three remaining communities in Wisconsin with combined sewers. Much of the Village’s infrastructure dates to the early 1900s and while the combined sewer system was designed for managing stormwater, the system is easily overwhelmed by the intense rainfalls seen with increasing frequency in recent years.
Following historic rain events in July 2010, the Village, with the assistance of Strand Associates, Inc.® (Strand), created a Comprehensive Facility Plan to evaluate capacity and operation of its combined and separated sewer systems. The Comprehensive Facility Plan included a series of recommendations for various systems and areas of the village. The goal of this project was to mitigate basement backups and flooding for residents in the southern half of the combined sewer area. The three-phase SEACSI project involved construction of a 48-inch relief sewer activated during wet-weather events, along with extensive underground utility upgrades and surface-level improvements, including green infrastructure, lead service line replacements, ADA-compliant curb ramps, and pedestrian and bike safety enhancements. The SEACSI project was the Village’s largest infrastructure endeavor to date and is a key piece to help mitigate basement backups and flooding.
