Lake Michigan: Now With 20% More Effluent

By Matt Wood in News on Mar 30, 2006 3:48PM

A "mishap" in Milwaukee yesterday flushed 800,000 gallons of partially treated sewage into Lake Michigan. Workers at the Jones Island Waste Treatment Plant were testing gates for an underground channel when they accidentally opened. Thirty minutes and 800,000 gallons of effluent later, the gates were closed.

We can't decide if we're more terrified by the thought of underground rivers of poo in Milwaukee or the fact that releasing 800,000 gallons of sewage into the lake is considered just a mishap. Initial revulsion at the word sewage aside, it may not be as bad as it sounds. The discharge, as the AP report calls it, had already been disinfected and solids had been filtered (try not to think about how that works). State pollution standards even allow dumping of partially treated sewage during heavy rains to prevent flooding the system.

But you say discharge, we say toilet water. This reminds us of sailing into the north branch of the Chicago River during the architectural boat cruise when the docent proudly announced that the section of the river had been upgraded recently from "toxic" to "polluted." Fabulous, but we still don't want to swim in it.