Large Construction Projects to Correct Combined Sewer Overflows Are Too Costly

摘要

The report highlights the slow progress in stemming pollution and flooding caused by combined sewer overflows. Perhaps the chief impediment to progress is that neither the Federal Government nor local communities can provide the enormous sums--estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency conservatively at $88 billion--necessary to build the large structural projects usually proposed. The report calls for a new, less expensive approach to the problem. A concept known as best management practices offers promise. Under this concept, a community attempts various inexpensive measures before considering costly solutions. GAO makes recommendations to the Congress and the Environmental Protection Agency to encourage use of low-cost techniques.