Community Impact
Sewage overflows present a public health risk. While exposure to disease-causing organisms, such as giardia or cryptosporidium, is not considered fatal for a healthy adult, they can be deadly for those with weaker immune systems, the elderly and small children.
Substantial improvement to the water quality of our local rivers has occurred in recent years as a result of upgrades to the Dornick Point Sewage Treatment Plant, tributary acid mine drainage treatment projects and other sanitary sewage improvement initiatives in the watershed. With these improvements comes greater public exposure to these waterways through increased recreational activities including boating and fishing. Continued sewage overflows could restrict these activities in the same manner as they are limited in Pittsburgh through water use advisories – Sewer Overflow Advisory Key.
Untreated sewage discharges can also impact treatment costs for public water supplies, like that of Allegheny County, which draws 90% of its supply from the three rivers.
To see some suggestions about how you can help make a positive difference in your community, visit the Three Rivers Wet Weather Educational and Reference Materials webpage.
Another wet weather issue is stormwater pollution. Anything that enters a storm sewer system is discharged untreated into the rivers and streams we use for swimming, fishing and providing drinking water.
Unlike pollution from industry or sewage treatment facilities, which is caused by a discrete number of sources, stormwater pollution is caused by the daily activities of people everywhere.
Rainwater and snowmelt run off streets, lawns, farms, and construction and industrial sites carrying fertilizers, dirt, pesticides, oil, grease and many other pollutants to our rivers, lakes and streams.
Nationally, stormwater runoff is our most common cause of water pollution. Locally, it also contributes to our wet weather sewage overflow problem.