Workers assemble a sewer system holding tank near Emory Valley Road and Fairbanks Road on Wednesday afternoon.
Workers have been assembling a sewer system holding tank near Emory Valley Road and Fairbanks Road. It’s one of three tanks that will help Oak Ridge comply with a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency order that requires the city to end all sewer system overflows by September 2015.
The Emory Valley Road tank is on a roughly one-acre tract on the east side of the former Daniel Arthur Rehabilitation Center. The other two tanks will be built near the intersection of South Illinois Avenue and Scarboro Road, just down the street from the main entrance to the Y-12 National Security Complex, and in an isolated, industrial area off Cairo Road in east Oak Ridge.
The Oak Ridge City Council approved the locations for the three tanks, officially known as equalization basins, in September 2013. The Anderson County Commission agreed to donate a small parcel of land for the Emory Valley Road tank. And the City Council agreed in December 2013 to buy a car wash owned by businessman Terry Mulllins for $125,000 and replace it with the tank at Scarboro Road and South Illinois Avenue as part of a plan to move that equalization basin farther back from the road.
Oak Ridge Public Works Director Gary Cinder has said the holding tanks are required at critical locations to detain extra water flows during heavy rains to comply with the EPA order.
The tanks could store between one and two million gallons of a mix of storm water and sewer. It’s technically considered sewage, but it will predominantly be storm water that has leaked into the sewer system and exceeded the system’s carrying capacity, Cinder has said.
The tanks could be emptied within a few days after a heavy rain as capacity in the downstream sewers becomes available.
The cost of building the tanks and their associated pump stations was earlier estimated at about $6.5 million.
Officials said earlier that the tanks on Emory Valley Road and Scarboro Road at South Illinois Avenue could be more than 100 feet wide and 18 to 27 feet high.
Some work appears to have also started at the Scarboro Road location.
Dave Smith says
I noted that the worker on the left is using a scaffold frame, leaning against the wall of the tank, as a ladder. Not only does that look like a perfectly safe practice, his posture looks very ergonomic.
I’d be willing to bet he didn’t know that John Huotari was taking his picture and that he hopes his safety chief doesn’t read OR Today. Well, unless he is the safety chief, that is.
johnhuotari says
I can’t comment on that, but I have been amazed at how quickly this portion of the work is progressing. These guys seem very productive.
Raymond Charles Kircher says
Why would they want to take their time and do the job safely? Once it is done, the warranty period starts, and I believe these tanks will start to show fatigue and wear soon after the warranty period.
Jason Allison says
Have there been any announced plans on the finish on the outside of the tanks? Will they paint them or something like that?
johnhuotari says
Jason,
There was some discussion of painting murals or otherwise decorating the tanks back in 2013. You can see a very brief synopsis of that discussion here (in paragraph 8): http://oakridgetoday.com/2013/09/16/council-approves-locations-sewer-system-tanks-county-donates-land-one/
Pat Fain proposed a design contest for painting the three tanks back in August 2013: http://oakridgetoday.com/2013/08/31/letter-lets-design-contest-paint-three-sewer-system-holding-tanks/
I’m not aware of any announced plans, but I’ll try to follow up as soon as I can if and when I do hear of something.
Thank you.
John
Raymond Charles Kircher says
No, not allowed to do that. For that is considered a compromise of the steel. It must be an approved coating.
Jason Allison says
Then they apply the approved coating and then decorate the coating. With today’s technology they can tint the coating any color under the rainbow
Raymond Charles Kircher says
What part of any other coating has to be approved to keep insurances, inspections, and maintenance compliant do you not understand? Better yet, maybe the public can go build their own tank and paint it any other color they want. You might as well put a sign there. Paint on it. This is Mark Watson, S$^* tank, Oak Ridge, TN. I was told something today. Interestingly enough, this city council is looking for cheap solutions. Has anyone considered that this tank will have to be removed before more than half of this community passes away? How about the projected costs bi-annually to keep this thing compliant? And to think that this cheap solution, to me it is temporary, does nothing to expand the amount of people that can live there, and is very susceptible of breaches just because nobody thought it could be done. Just adding any homes there is leading to even a larger disaster because you get what you pay for. Or we even getting anything for our money? Sure paint it up, may help it last longer at least, or attract an artist district where this gets painted up randomly. Here’s to pissing away money.
Jason Allison says
Well, let me dumb it down to a Michael Dunn level for you. T h e y c a n t I n t t h e a p p r o v e d c o a t I n g a n y c o l o r u n d e r t h e r a I n b o w . what part of THAT do you not understand? Just because you don’t like the idea, it doesn’t fit into your perfect white picket fence life, doesn’t mean that this is the wrong solution to our storm water problem. Do us all a favor and do some research, and not just on articles that fit your opinion.
Sam Hopwood says
I just hope I’m not driving by when it collapses….. 😉
Raymond Charles Kircher says
Too true, so how many people do you know who uses steel tanks for sewage storage?
Mark Caldwell says
Money well spent. Thank you City of Oak Ridge!
Raymond Charles Kircher says
That isn’t an overflow tank, it is a money pit. Steel? Really? Who was thinking about this? These tanks at best with an epoxy coating have a life of 50 years. In that time, we will be charged for inspections every two years, the cost of repairs, and the natural events of heavy rain that will exceed these tanks in the future. Did our city council really expect that part of our city to not grow? There will be future demands that I see are not in the vision of correcting this city’s problems. I remember an event in Toronto that their ES tanks were breached. These tanks in Toronto were designed by the earlier storm that also sent raw sewage into the streets of Toronto. Did anyone think of why the sewer overflows? Did anyone think of its maintenance cost? Is this their best effort to drain the citizens of Oak Ridge of their dollars all the while to not solve the problem? This is probably the largest band-aid ever purchased by the city that only takes care of our problem today and not addressing our future. I wonder how many homeowners use steel for their sewer storage? From what I see, not many if any at all. Steel tanks have a very short life with caustic material stored in them, and as these tanks are used where the water level drops and exposing oxygen to the steel walls, corrosion is only escalated where the epoxy coating is weak, if these tanks are epoxy coated or glass lined. I can only imagine the stench if an auto accident sent a vehicle careening into the tank and bursting its seal. Excuse the pun, but this city’s planning is piss poor.
Philip W Nipper says
Sir, you might want to take a wee look at the prints and specs for this project before you opine on the design of the tank and its contents. Historically, we have had an issue with rain water (storm water) entering the sanitary sewer (sewage) system. When we experience huge amounts of rain in a short amount of time, the storm system can’t handle it. Some of this water enters the sanitary system through various means such as non tight piping, below grade and unsealed man holes, etc and ultimately overcomes both the sanitary piping systems and the treatment plant causing sewage overflows into the creeks and waterways. This is bad and the EPA said to fix it. These tanks (equalization basins) along with slip lining sewer piping to seal leaks, are two ways the city is attempting to fix the problem. The water contained in the tanks will be mostly rain water however, there will be some minor amounts of sewage water mixed in. I think it is a valid course of action, one which should drastically reduce storm water entering the sanitary system and thus allowing the city to meet the EPA mandate. But just like you, I am no expert.
Raymond Charles Kircher says
Phillip, shut up. I don’t want to ever hear rain water and sanitary sewer system again. Once you start with that comment it only says, “I’m sorry we have a non-compliant sewer system. Think, do you even want people to live here in the future?
Philip W Nipper says
I think you should stick to whatever it is you know best and not venture into the unknown regions of your mind.
Mark Caldwell says
My gosh Raymond! It’s a little early in the morning to be so bitter.
Joseph Lee says
Ray, save yourself while there is still time. Please pack your things and get out of town before the end of days accurs in Oak Ridge. Thank you.
Sam Hopwood says
Noticed today that the foundation for the second poop-a-tank at the intersection of South Illinois and Lafayette is proceeding as the city fathers have planned. For as long as I can recall our neighbors have opined that Oak Ridge folks were just full of it. This seems to validate that.