About the Avon Lake Water Reclamation Facility
The Avon Lake Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) was established in 1960 to meet the community’s expanding need for safe wastewater treatment.
The WRF serves all of Avon Lake, northern sections of Avon, and the Lorain County Rural Wastewater District (LORCO). LORCO includes areas in and around Eaton and Carlisle Townships.
Between 2016 and 2019, Avon Lake Regional Water completed a three-year, $35 million rehabilitation project to WRF to increase the amount of water treated at the facility to meet increased demand on the collection system. Upgrades included new UV disinfection units, a new laboratory, a new power generation system, a new raw sewage pump station, upgrades to other pumps, new screening units, grit removal upgrades, upgrades to tanks, and new solids press.
To comply with the Ohio EPA, the Utility has discontinued using its on-site monofill and now hauls its dewatered wastewater and water plant residuals to a solid waste landfill. Soon, a study will be undertaken to determine the most effective and appropriate methods for solids treatment and beneficial reuse/disposal.
Analysis
The plant’s final effluent is thoroughly tested to assure compliance with both state and federal limits before it enters a submerged, diffused, discharge system that extends approximately 1,200 feet into Lake Erie’s receiving water. Tests for biological oxygen demand, pH, temperature, hexavalent chromium, phosphorus, solids (total, dissolved, suspended, and volatile), ammonia, dissolved oxygen, and oil/grease are performed at WRF laboratory. Wastewater related tests for kjeldahl nitrogen, nitrate/nitrite, arsenic, aluminum, cadmium, total chromium, copper, and other trace metals are performed at the Water Filtration Plant’s laboratory.
NPDES Permit
The National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) has set many water quality limits on that the water that may be discharged into the nation’s lakes and streams. The state of Ohio issues a NPDES Permit, which specifies discharge limits for municipal wastewater treatment facilities. The Water Reclamation Facility’spermit specifies a total phosphorus limit of 1 part per million (ppm). The Facility’s average total phosphorus discharge is well below the NPDES specified limits.
How big is a ppm? One part per million is equal to one minute in two years or one penny in $10,000. The mission of the WRF is to ensure that the plant’s discharge will meet or exceed federal and state guidelines for protecting Lake Erie, our receiving waters.
SEPARATING AVON LAKE’S COMBINED SEWERS
After passage of the Clean Water Act of 1972 (federal law), the City of Avon Lake and Avon Lake Regional Water immediately began to separate its combined sewers and by 1974 had a City Master Sewer Plan in effect that would eliminate dry weather combined sewer overflows (CSOs). By 1994 congress established a CSO Control Policy to provide guidance and authorize states to issue permits limiting the levels of overflow cities could discharge into the environment. It also ensured the public would be involved in the implementation of CSO management practices and controls.
In May of 2001, Avon Lake City Council authorized the City Engineer to begin requesting engineering service proposals for the design and construction of the Avon-Belden Road Combined Sewer Separation. The following March, Avon Lake Regional Water began negotiating a contract with Brown & Caldwell, a nationally recognized engineering firm specializing in CSO control planning, to develop a long term plan required by the State of Ohio EPA and USEPA.
In 2004, Avon Lake Regional Water, the City of Avon Lake, and Ohio EPA came to agreement that all combined sewers in Avon Lake would be separated by 2020. Between 2004 – 2019, Avon Lake Regional Water accelerated efforts to complete the remaining combined sewer separation projects within Avon Lake to meet Ohio EPA’s deadline of December 31, 2019.
In December 2019, Avon Lake Regional Water performed the final conversion steps on the sewers, thus eliminating all remaining combined sewers in Avon Lake and meeting our Long-Term Control Plan deadline.
Combined Sewer Overflow Information
In 2019, Avon Lake Regional Water successfully completed its Long-Term Control Plan with Ohio EPA by eliminating all the combined sewers within the City of Avon Lake. However, in 2020, at the request of Ohio EPA, the Center Road Pump Station location will remain a CSO until completion of Avon Lake Regional Water’s monitoring period (2021). If Avon Lake Regional Water experiences a CSO event at this location, information will be posted below in the Combined Sewer Overflow Event Notification section.
Annual Combined Sewer Overflow Notification
Click here to view the Annual Combined Sewer Overflow Notification for 2022.
Click here to view the Annual Combined Sewer Overflow Notification for 2021.
Click here to view the Annual Combined Sewer Overflow Notification for 2020.
Click here to view the Annual Combined Sewer Overflow Notification for 2019.
Click here to view the Annual Combined Sewer Overflow Notification for 2018.
COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOW EVENT NOTIFICATIONS
CSO Event – December 9, 2023
On December 9, 2023, due to a large amount of precipitation over an extended period of time, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 10:50 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – August 23, 2023
On August 23, 2023, due to a large amount of precipitation over an extended period of time, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 9:07 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – July 27, 2023
On July 27, 2023, due to prolonged and heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 12:16 a.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – July 20, 2023
On July 20, 2023, due to prolonged and heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 7:30 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – July 7, 2023
On July 7, 2023, due to prolonged and heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 1:50 a.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – June 15, 2023
On June 15, 2023, due to a large amount of precipitation over an extended period of time, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 11:10 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – March 3, 2023
On March 3, 2023, due to a large amount of precipitation over an extended period of time, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 4:30 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – February 22, 2023
On February 22, 2023, due to heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 5:45 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – August 21, 2022
On August 21, 2022, due to heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 5:45 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – August 8, 2022
On August 8, 2022, due to heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 8:30 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – October 7, 2021
On October 7, 2021, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 6:00 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – September 22, 2021
On September 22, 2021, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 2:30 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – September 15, 2021
On September 15, 2021, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 1:15 a.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – August 25, 2021
On August 25, 2021, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 7:10 a.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – August 13, 2021
On August 13, 2021, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 7:10 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – August 11, 2021
On August 11, 2021, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 5:45 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – July 17, 2021
On July 17, 2021, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 10:45 a.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – July 8, 2021
On July 8, 2021, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 2:00 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – June 29, 2021
On June 29, 2021, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 4:35 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – May 9, 2021
On May 9, 2021, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 2:00 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – January 1, 2021
On January 1, 2021, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 10:50 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – October 21, 2020
On October 21, 2020, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station between 5:05 a.m. and 7:10 a.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – September 7, 2020
On September 7, 2020, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 10:15 a.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – May 15, 2020
On May 15, 2020, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 5:00 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – April 8, 2020
On April 8, 2020, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 12:15 a.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – March 30, 2020
On March 30, 2020, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at its Center Road Pump Station starting at 6:00 a.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – August 22, 2019
On August 22, 2019, due to the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at all locations starting at 6:00 a.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – June 20, 2019
On June 20, 2019, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at all locations at about 5:00 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – June 16, 2019
On June 16, 2019, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at all locations at about 6:30 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – June 2, 2019
On June 2, 2019, because of the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at all locations at about 2:30 a.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – May 28, 2019
On May 28, 2019, because of the heavy rains, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at all locations at about 8:00 p.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – April 20, 2019
On April 20, 2019, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at all locations at about 8:04 a.m. Click here for more information.
CSO Event – January 23, 2019
On January 23, 2019, Avon Lake Regional Water experienced a CSO event at all locations at about 12:00 p.m. Click here for more information.
Contact Us/Emergency
ph. 440.933.6226 (M-F, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) | ph. 440.933.3229 (after office hours and weekends)