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411 West First Street • Duluth, Minnesota 55802 • www.duluthmn.gov
SUBJECT: Sanitary Sewer Overflow Identified in East Duluth
BY: Pakou Ly
Heavy rains caused a wastewater overflow at 52nd Ave E & Dodge St (Lift Station #45). The overflow began at 5:30 AM this morning and is ongoing. City of Duluth Utilities staff are closely monitoring the overflow.
Overflow volume is approximately 1500 gallons/minute and is ongoing. The State Duty Officer has been notified.
As a general rule, residents should avoid contact with any sewer overflow due to the potential for exposure to disease-causing organisms. Residents are also asked to report any overflow from a manhole. Heavy rainfalls may cause manhole covers to be lifted and moved creating a dangerous fall hazard. Residents should contact the City of Duluth at 730-4150 at anytime to report overflowing manholes or any open manhole.
The City of Duluth is taking proactive steps to comply with a consent decree with the Environmental Protection Agency to stop sanitary sewer overflows into Lake Superior by 2016. The City is constructing an 8.3 million gallon sanitary sewer overflow tank in Canal Park and has implemented an Inflow and Infiltration Reduction Program to stop sanitary sewer overflows.
For additional information, contact Utility Operations Manager Steve Lipinski at (218) 730-4130; or Pakou Ly in the City’s Communications Office at (218) 730-5309.