Untreated wastewater pours into Charles River during Ida

State-permitted sewer systems discharged untreated wastewater into the Charles River during heavy downpours brought on by Ida, gushing sewage strewn water from pipes on the banks of Boston’s Esplanade early Thursday morning.

“This is horrible for river health. It’s raw sewage combined with wastewater,” said Julia Blatt, Executive Director of the environmental advocacy group Massachusetts Rivers Alliance.

Ida’s biblical amounts of rain overwhelmed outdated sewer systems around the city, forcing several pipelines to discharge untreated wastewater into the Charles River.

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority recommend people stay away from the river for 48 hours after the incidents to avoid “increased health risks due to bacteria or other pollutants.”

Sewage discharged from four different locations on the Boston side of the Esplanade, starting at 2:51 a.m., according to MWRA. All pipes spit untreated wastewater into the river for more than two hours. The amount of untreated wastewater discharged has not been disclosed.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3jDa5Tt