Louisville's $200 million underground MSD tunnel

I knew this project was going on, but man oh man, the photos in the article are pretty wild.

Every year the Louisville MSD's service area releases 439 million gallons of sewage and rainwater in the the Ohio River waterway system, largely due to its outdated combined sewer system, which carries both storm water and domestic sewage in the same underground piping system. This 4-mile tunnel located 220 feet underground (about 18 stories), is their response to that problem. When it's completed, it'll have a 55 million capacity, equivalent of 83 Olympic-size pools. It will be a "detention tank" to hold overflow storm water and wastewater/sewage during rain events, and will give MSD the time to process and treat the tunnel's overflow contents. MSD estimates that it will be able to treat 98% of the total overflow, annually.

$200 million underground MSD tunnel reaches Spaghetti Junction | WDRB News

I watched the story on the news last night and was fascinated.

I watched the story on the news last night and was fascinated.

I just can't imagine ever feeling safe working in a "hole" that's 220 feet underground. Absolutely CRAZY.

I just can't imagine ever feeling safe working in a "hole" that's 220 feet underground. Absolutely CRAZY.

I think I would be fine once I got down there, but that ride down the shaft I'd have to close my eyes. :lol2:

I just can't imagine ever feeling safe working in a "hole" that's 220 feet underground. Absolutely CRAZY.

You should have seen 60 Minutes the other night when they had a segment about gold miners in South Africa----who go down 2 miles.

You should have seen 60 Minutes the other night when they had a segment about gold miners in South Africa----who go down 2 miles.

Yeah I'm not doing that.

I just can't imagine ever feeling safe working in a "hole" that's 220 feet underground. Absolutely CRAZY.

I agree. That's why I always had so much respect for my family members who were underground coal miners.

I just can't imagine ever feeling safe working in a "hole" that's 220 feet underground. Absolutely CRAZY.

I think I would be fine once I got down there, but that ride down the shaft I'd have to close my eyes. :lol2:

I'd be content watching you go down there. That's about it.

I think I would be fine once I got down there, but that ride down the shaft I'd have to close my eyes. :lol2:

Say what, now?

Say what, now?

I deserve that.

I deserve that.

:lol2: :lol2:

I just can't imagine ever feeling safe working in a "hole" that's 220 feet underground. Absolutely CRAZY.

It’s better than working on a submarine!

It’s better than working on a submarine!

Also absolutely insane. I have an uncle who was a submarine man. After they de-classified some of his experience during the Cold War he's told us some CRAZY things.

They had a small fire on-board at one point while they were "under the ice" and couldn't surface. The whole crew was forced to carry masks with a hose that plugged directly into a contained oxygen system for 3-1/2 days in order to breath. Take 4 steps, plug back in to take a breath....take 4 more steps....plug back in and take a breath. Take off your mask for a bite of food, put it back on to chew and swallow. Slept in a mask, hoping it wouldn't slip off in the night.

Also absolutely insane. I have an uncle who was a submarine man. After they de-classified some of his experience during the Cold War he's told us some CRAZY things.

 

They had a small fire on-board at one point while they were "under the ice" and couldn't surface. The whole crew was forced to carry masks with a hose that plugged directly into a contained oxygen system for 3-1/2 days in order to breath. Take 4 steps, plug back in to take a breath....take 4 more steps....plug back in and take a breath. Take off your mask for a bite of food, put it back on to chew and swallow. Slept in a mask, hoping it wouldn't slip off in the night.

Man, I couldn't do it I think. Hell, I freaked in the MRI tunnel and had to get out!