Caption: The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is required to post warning signs near every sewer overflow., Credit: (Véronique LaCapra, St. Louis Public Radio)
Image by: (Véronique LaCapra, St. Louis Public Radio) 
The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is required to post warning signs near every sewer overflow. 

Inside the St. Louis sewer system: fixing a messy problem

From: Veronique LaCapra
Length: 00:03:54

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St. Louis is one of hundreds of older cities across the country facing the challenge of dealing with an aging sewer system. This summer, the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District settled a four-year lawsuit with the Environmental Protection Agency over violations of the Clean Water Act. Under the terms of the consent decree, MSD will spend the next 23 years upgrading the St. Louis area sewer system. St. Louis Public Radio’s Véronique LaCapra looks at the problems with our sewers – and what it’s going to take to fix them. Read the full description.

Dsc_0520web600featurephoto_small St. Louis is one of hundreds of older cities across the country facing the challenge of dealing with an aging sewer system. This summer, the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District settled a four-year lawsuit with the Environmental Protection Agency over violations of the Clean Water Act. Under the terms of the consent decree, MSD will spend the next 23 years upgrading the St. Louis area sewer system. St. Louis Public Radio’s Véronique LaCapra looks at the problems with our sewers – and what it’s going to take to fix them.

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Piece Description

Broadcast History

Aired November 14, 2011, on St. Louis Public Radio (90.7 KWMU).

Transcript

HOST IN: St. Louis is one of hundreds of older cities across the country facing the challenge of dealing with an aging sewer system.

This summer, the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District settled a four-year lawsuit with the Environmental Protection Agency over violations of the Clean Water Act.

Under the terms of the consent decree, MSD will spend the next 23 years upgrading the St. Louis area sewer system.

St. Louis Public Radio’s Véronique LaCapra [vair-uh-NEEK la-CAP-rah] looks at the problems with our sewers – and what it’s going to take to fix them.

(SEWERS1)
3:54

CUT 1 LANCE LECOMB (0:03)
“This is sewage. This is raw sewage.”

LACAPRA: MSD spokesperson Lance LeComb is taking me on a tour. Our first stop is several stories under Forest Park.

CUT 2 LANCE LECOMB (0:09)
“We’re standing inside the combined sewer system. What you see going in front of us is wastewater for homes a...
Read the full transcript

Intro and Outro

INTRO:

St. Louis is one of hundreds of older cities across the country facing the challenge of dealing with an aging sewer system.

This summer, the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District settled a four-year lawsuit with the Environmental Protection Agency over violations of the Clean Water Act.

Under the terms of the consent decree, MSD will spend the next 23 years upgrading the St. Louis area sewer system.

St. Louis Public Radio’s Véronique LaCapra [vair-uh-NEEK la-CAP-rah] looks at the problems with our sewers – and what it’s going to take to fix them.

OUTRO:

Related Website

http://www.news.stlpublicradio.org/post/inside-st-louis-sewer-system-part-1-fixing-messy-problem