The Water Services Department's Overflow Control Plan is required by state and federal agencies and details the City's commitment to decrease the frequency and volume of overflows from its combined and separate sanitary sewer systems. The Plan is the largest infrastructure investment in Kansas City's history with an estimated cost of $2.4 billion in 2008 dollars ($1.4 billion in the combined sewer system and $1.0 billion in the separate sewer system) and will take more than 25 years to complete.

The City's plan is unique and innovative in its approach to solving these challenging problems. The City will reduce overflows as required but will look for ways to maximize economic, social and environmental benefits. The City will invest in infrastructure improvements that produce the highest benefit in terms of water quality for dollars spent. The City plans to:

• improve operations and invest in maintenance of the systems
• increase on-going efforts to repair and replace the existing systems
• add storage, conveyance, and treatment capacity
• enhance our community with green solutions.