Warning
Recent rainfall in the City of Peoria has caused a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) into the Illinois River. When this warning is posted, please avoid full-body contact with the Illinois River in the area downstream from Detweiller Marina. You may get sick if you swallow river water while swimming, Jet Skiing or water skiing in these areas after a sewer overflow.
The City of Peoria is developing a long-term plan to reduce sewage overflows to the river during wet weather, as required under the Clean Water Act.
What is a Combined Sewer Overflow?
A combined sewer system (CSS) collects rainwater runoff, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater into one pipe. Under normal conditions, it transports all of the wastewater it collects to a sewage treatment plant for treatment, then discharges to a water body. The volume of wastewater can sometimes exceed the capacity of the CSS or treatment plant (e.g., during heavy rainfall events or snowmelt). When this occurs, untreated stormwater and wastewater, discharges directly to nearby streams, rivers, and other water bodies.
Combined sewer overflows contain untreated or partially treated human and industrial waste, toxic materials, and debris as well as stormwater. They are a priority water pollution concern for the nearly 860 municipalities across the U.S. that have CSSs. More information is available on the US Environmental Protection Agency website.
Original source can be found here.
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