PWSA crews in the South Side Flats work to separate the sewers there, helping to improve water quality in the Monongahela.

As athletes from around the world descended upon Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics, an unexpected opponent was lurking in the River Seine: pollution. Heavy rains had fallen in the days preceding the event, and the city’s overburdened sewer system delivered a mix of stormwater and sewage into the water, leading to a litany of logistical hurdles and delays for swimming events.

Waterway pollution resulting from combined sewer overflows is a persistent problem in Paris and an issue we know all too well here in the Paris of Appalachia. Here we too are contending with an outdated sewer system that struggles to meet the challenges of managing stormwater in a modern city.

Combined sewers, which represent nearly 75% of our system, carry both stormwater and sewage. When overtaxed by heavy rain, combined sewers can contribute to issues like basement backups and flooding and pollute streams and rivers.
It's a Herculean effort to modernize our sewers, but PWSA is up to the challenge.

We recently kicked off our South Side Flats Sewer Separation Project, a $10 million investment to separate the combined sewers, install a new water main, and replace lead service lines in an area frequently affected by overflows and basement backups during heavy rains.

Visit our project web map to read about other PWSA projects that will protect our rivers, environment, and communities for generations to come.