Shelby Review

County of Macomb issued the following announcement on Feb 18.

The discharge of combined sewer overflows into Lake St. Clair from a huge retention basin was averted before and during Thursday’s winter storm because of operational changes made by the Macomb County Public Works Office.

Public Works Commissioner Candice S. Miller said Friday that the improvements being tested at the Chapaton Pump Station in St. Clair Shores prevented what otherwise could have been the release of millions of gallons of chemically-treated overflow of combined sanitary sewage and storm water carried by the sewer system.

“Ten months ago, we predicted that changes in the way we store that combined flow inside the pump station and in the giant interceptor sewer that feeds it would help us avoid the discharge of millions of gallons of CSO’s into Lake St. Clair. We’re happy to report that with this latest significant wet weather event our goals are being achieved.”

This marks the fourth time in less than 12 months that the discharge of treated, combined sewage was averted.

“As far as we know, the Chapaton Retention Treatment Basin was the only one in the region that didn’t discharge on Thursday,” Miller said.

Areas in the far southeast portion of Macomb County had between .81 inches and 1.38 inches of rain on Thursday. Coupled with the snow melt that occurred Wednesday and into early Thursday with temperatures near 50 degrees, drainage increasingly was handled by storm sewers because grassy areas were still too frozen to absorb normal amounts.

“Just because CSO's are permitted doesn’t make it right, and government shouldn’t be pushing the problem of CSO reduction and elimination onto future generations. That’s the primary reason I ran for this office,” Miller said. “Water quality equals quality of life, which is why we all must do better for the environment and future generations.”

Original source can be found here.