No big surprise, but the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District dumped a large amount of raw sewage into Lake Michigan yesterday. Per the Chicago Sun-Times, “the heavy rain prompted the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District to open the North Shore Channel locks in Wilmette at 6:30 a.m. and Chicago River locks near Navy Pier at 10:15 a.m. A third gate at 130th and Torrence was opened at 5:15 p.m”.
The “Deep Tunnel”, the $3 Billion metropolitan drainage system, was full as of 7:30 AM on Saturday, prompting the MWRD to open the locks releasing 4 Billion gallons/hour of runoff mixed with raw sewage into Lake Michigan. The MWRD states that 1% of the liquid poured in the lake was raw sewage, still equating to a staggering 40 (ed. calculation corrected from 4) Million gallons/hour of raw sewage dumped into the lake.
The MWRD website notes a Confirmed CSO Event, on September 13, CSO being Combined Sewer Overflow, without specifically noting any “Floodwater discharges to lake”.
The motto of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District is “Protecting Our Water Environment”.
David Hernandez says:
I was at the north lock early Saturday morning, and the liquid that was rushing for the north river into the lake should today be tested for that 1%. My question is dose the City of Chicago test the north river water or any river water for it's qualitly to dump into to the lake or the down steam rivers?
Dan Keough says:
Regardless of 1% comment. Wastewater has pathogens which cause disease. % solids are a side issue.
And they (pathogens) will be released into the fresh water supply.
I work in a treatment plant. This is the single greatest failure you can have. Something should have been done to prevent it period.
Dirk says:
Hey John,
If you check your math, I believe you will find that 1% of 4 billion is an astronomical 40 million and not the number you stated.