Frequently Asked Questions
Managing the stormwater and wastewater systems for the St. Louis region is a complex job. The team at MSD is here to help you make sense of it all. Find answers to common questions about our Projects below. If you still have questions, don’t hesitate to contact us anytime.
Yes, the majority of the work will be underground. There will be some surface disruption around drop shafts which are locations where supplies and equipment will be placed for work underground.
Yes, the tunnels that exist today will continue to manage daily flow. The new deeper tunnels will store and then move water during rainy weather.
Generally, we leave it up to our contractors to decide. It is part of their bid. They have to find a buyer for it. There will be considerable truck traffic at times to remove material from work sites. MSD is committed to robust communications with these areas so they know what to expect and when.
While most of the work will be underground, there will be some surface disruption around drop shafts which are locations where supplies and equipment will be placed for work underground. There will also be considerable truck traffic at times to remove material from work sites. MSD and its contractors will communicate with the community in advance to make them aware of our work and its impact on the public.
MSD does not have the authority to regulate the development of things like parking lots and buildings. Regarding the future of the River Des Peres, the first step is removing sewage and that is what MSD Project Clear is about. The Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a study that will evaluate options for long-term management of River Des Peres from Forest Park to the Lemay Treatment Plan. MSD’s funds are concentrated on meeting wastewater regulatory requirements. Beyond that, improvements to River Des Peres are likely to require Federal funding to implement. Once the Corps finishes their study, the community will have a better sense of what the options are and can begin to plan accordingly. MSD will be part of those discussions but it will be a community effort.
There was such an initiative under the impervious rate program so it was discontinued when MSD stopped collecting the impervious charge. Perhaps that kind of program would be part of a new stormwater solution, whatever that may be.