AKRON, Ohio - Akron could shave about $75 million off future loans for the city's $1.2 billion Akron Waterways Renewed! sewer project by amending the project design.

On Monday, Akron City Council approved an ordinance recognizing amendments to the original consent decree the city entered into with the U.S. EPA and Ohio EPA in 2014. The amendments have been submitted to those agencies for approval, which could take about two months, officials said.

Residents are paying for the Akron Waterways Renewed! sewer project as part of the city's deal with the EPAs. Akron is required to bring its sewer system into compliance with the Clean Water Act, and stop old sewers from overflowing into the Cuyahoga River by 2028. The city has been working to reduce costs through alternative designs and reduced interest rates on loans.

Such savings have dropped the project's overall estimated cost from $1.4 billion to $1.2 billion.

"This is a big day for us," Akron Service Director John Moore told Akron City Council Public Service committee.

Akron Waterways Renewed! Program Manager Pat Gsellman explained the new design modifications to the committee.

Under one amendment, the city would substitute one storm water treatment system for the system that was originally proposed. Through pilot testing, city engineers had determined the new system would lower costs and reduce maintenance fees, while enabling healthier plant operations, Gsellman said.

Another amendment would deploy green infrastructure technology rather than build four combined sewer overflow storage basins, which were included in the original design, he said. Instead, the city would substitute green infrastructure for three of the basins and enlarge a fourth basin, Gsellman said.

In March, the city built green infrastructure in East Akron, which involved installing plants and oils that capture storm water and release it slowly into the city's system.

Ward 1 Councilman Rich Swirsky said city engineers are "working diligently to lower the cost of the entire project and to reap even greater environmental benefits through continuous improvement."

Ward 8 Councilwoman Marilyn Keith acknowledged Akron residents haven't seen reductions in their water bills as a result of the savings so far.

"I know you're working like crazy to make sure you're doing everything within power to make it less of a burden," she said.

At-large Councilman Jeff Fusco congratulated the Akron Waterways Renewed! team.

"I know we've been working on this for many, many years," he said. "This is great news. It takes a long time to execute something like this."

For details on the project, visit Akron Waterways Renewed!

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