The current heavy rainfall has sparked sewage discharges throughout the world, as public well being officers warn residents of “bacteria or other pollutants.”
A whopping 3-plus inches of rain slammed components of the area on Wednesday, resulting in sewage discharges, also referred to as mixed sewer overflows.
Native public well being departments are required to alert the general public when these discharges might create a public well being threat, together with when a discharge lasts for greater than two hours.
So the place precisely did these sewage discharges occur on Wednesday?
- Boston Water and Sewer Outfall BOS004 within the Fort Level Channel close to W. Fourth Road: This occasion impacts the waters of the decrease Internal Harbor and the Jeffries Level space of East Boston.
- Boston Water and Sewer Outfall BOS070 within the Fort Level Channel close to W. Fourth Road: This occasion impacts the waters of the Fort Level Channel and downtown waterfront.
- Massachusetts Water Useful resource Authority Outfall MWR201 within the Charles River Basin Upstream of the Boston College Bridge: This occasion impacts the waters of the Charles River basin downstream to the Internal Harbor.
- Massachusetts Water Useful resource Authority Outfall MWR203 on the Jail Level facility on the Charles River in Charlestown: This occasion impacts the waters of the Charles River and Internal Harbor.
We put out a public well being warning about mixed sewer overflow which happens after a big storm overwhelms the sewerage system. The general public ought to keep away from contact with affected our bodies of water for at the least 48 hours because of elevated well being dangers.https://t.co/u9F2tdLRE2
— Boston Public Health Fee (@HealthyBoston) December 12, 2024
These sewage discharges occur when “a large storm overwhelms the combined sewerage system causing rainwater to mix with wastewater and discharge to a nearby water body,” the Boston Public Health Fee mentioned in a press release. “This prevents sewage backups into homes and businesses.”
The fee added, “The public is advised to avoid contact with affected water bodies for at least 48 hours after a sewage discharge or overflow, during rainstorms, and for 48 hours after rainstorms end, due to increased health risks from bacteria or other pollutants associated with urban stormwater runoff and discharges of untreated or partially treated wastewater.”
