Real-time control in combined sewer systems in Germany––some case studies

Abstract

Combined sewer overflows (CSO) are part of common combined drainage systems. Due to the improvement achieved in the efficiency of wastewater treatment plants, the discharge of such CSO became the focus of discussion regarding the quality of the natural water bodies. Thus operation of combined sewer systems and especially of existing detention facilities aims at an extensive avoidance of combined sewer discharge. To fulfil this task, real-time control may be one of the possible solutions. In Germany many communities already made the first step towards real-time control, i.e. data logging and supervision of the sewerage condition. The experience in application of real-time control and the achieved results are described regarding to case studies of existing real-time control systems.