Why are they digging a giant hole?
All are common inquiries received by the Journal-News about the ongoing $53 million project to install a storage tank reservoir system underground in Middletown.
By 2026, the five-million-gallon tank and water movement system to help reduce combined sewer overflows will be in place and an urban park will be on top, but for now the project on four-acres of land will keep North Main narrowed and plenty of construction equipment in and out of the site.
Like the 80 to 90 Ohio cities that have combined storm and sanitary systems, Middletown needs to comply with the federal Clean Water Act by reducing the number of overflows during heavy rain events, according to the city work department.
During a “typical year,” Middletown experiences 50 overflows, a number that will be reduced to six after the storage basin is operational by the end of 2025 as required by the federal directives, according to Scott Tadych, public works director.
The concrete storage tank will hold the water there for 24 or 48 hours, then slowly pump it back to the main interceptor sewer line that goes to the wastewater treatment plant. That will “significantly reduce” the overflows into the hydraulic canal upstream of the Great Miami River, he said.
By capturing and treating these excess flows before they are released into the environment, rivers, streams, and community will be cleaner and healthier.
The mass excavation began last fall with a hydraulic hammer striking pilings 40 feet into the ground on the four-acre construction site at North Main Street and Manchester Avenue. The pilings framed the structure to provide support during construction.
Acting City Manager Nathan Cahall recently gave council an update. noting there have been a few unexpected issues but the project is progressing from the excavation phase.
“When you dig halfway to China you are going to find something you don’t expect,” Cahall said. “So we have been dealing with a few things there, making sure we don’t bust into a strata of ground water and defeat the purpose (of the project).”
Construction has moved on to pouring layer and layer of concrete to form the compartments of the bason. Cahall said that will continue for “quite some time.”
Then the mechanical components will be installed that will move the water from the tank to the treatment plant.
The last component, when the reservoir is operational, will be creating a greenspace with a preliminary plan calling for an event lawn, a permanent home for the Holiday Whopla’s ice and roller rink and benches and landscaping.
“We are going to have a nice urban park design there ... maybe some food truck vendor rallies and maybe a venue for some summer concerts,” Cahall said.
To fund the project, the city borrowed the money and the loan will be paid back over time through the city’s sewer fund. The project is being built by the design build team of Gresham Smith and Shook Construction
In 2018, the city took a significant step forward by negotiating with the EPA to develop a long-term control plan. The centerpiece of this plan is the storage reservoir, he said. This is the city’s third storm water project, following the Sunset Park infrastructure improvements and the Lakeside redirection, according to Tadych.
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