CLEVELAND — The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District has posted a public advisory at Edgewater Beach following a sewage overflow from this morning's storms.
The advisory was posted around 4:20 a.m. Wednesday as a result of a combined sewer overflow (CSO). The overflow is a combination of raw sewage and storm water that ran into Lake Erie due to heavy rains this morning. The Sewer District is advising visitors--particularly children, the elderly, and those in ill health--to avoid contact with the water and debris.
Director of Watershed Programs Frank Greenland issued the following statee
"Our region has experienced many strong storms in recent years, an ongoing trend that we will see more of in the future. CSOs, along with flooding and streambank erosion, all impact water quality throughout our region. Fortunately, the Sewer District is developing a regional solution to manage these sizeable issues and protect our region's greatest natural resource: Lake Erie."
According to a press release from the Sewer District, throughout the mid-1970's combined sewer outfall deposited raw sewage into Lake Erie approximately 40-50 times per year. However, after improvements to aging infrastructure from the Sewer District over the years, the number of overflow discharges have significantly decreased. The last occurrence in 2020 was on September 7.
The Sewer District's "Project Clean Lake"--a 25-year, $3 billion capital improvement plan--is aimed at reducing combined sewage entering the lake and other waterways. The project will see the construction of large storage tunnels designed to capture combined sewage and redirect it to a treatment plant for full cleaning. The Sewer District currently has three tunnels in operation, with two additional tunnels under construction.
The Sewer District's Water Quality and Industrial Surveillance Department have posted signs at Edgewater Beach advising people to avoid contact with the water.