TOLEDO, Ohio — The City of Toledo has issued a public health advisory after E. coli was confirmed in water samples taken near Delaware Creek.
City officials said the advisory will remain in place until further notice and urge residents to avoid contact with the water in or near Delaware Creek.
The city identified a new sewer overflow that's connected to the collapse of a major sewer interceptor on Arlington Avenue which created the original issue and began investigating it after receiving reports of a strong odor along the creek. It led to the discovery of an overflowing manhole near 2520 Wildwood, the city said.
There was a partial collapse of the interceptor in early May that caused similar overflows, and now that it has fully collapsed, blocking all flow through the 48-inch sanitary main, the city explained.
“Now the system is under even more strain,” said Doug Stephens, director of the Department of Public Utilities. “We’re currently using two small pumps to bypass as much flow as we can, but they are not enough to restore full function. Until permanent repairs are complete, we may see additional overflows, especially when it rains.”
The city is working with Kokosing to address emergency repairs on Arlington Avenue. The utility relocation work must be completed before a large bypass pump can be installed.
“This is a complex repair, but we are moving as fast as safety and coordination will allow,” said Christy Soncrant, commissioner of Engineering. “Columbia Gas is scheduled to complete their relocation work by June 27, and once that’s done, Kokosing will begin building a cofferdam that allows us to safely install the bypass shaft. That work is expected to begin the week of July 7.”
It's a challenging repair, the city said, because the sewer line is 45 feet underground and 4-feet wide.
“We began testing water quality in Delaware Creek yesterday and will be sampling in Swan Creek today,” said Abed Semaan, commissioner of Environmental Services. “We’re looking at many indicators, but are closely monitoring for elevated levels of E. coli and other bacteria that could pose health risks. Crews wearing protective suits may be visible along the creeks—that’s a standard safety measure.”
“We know this is frustrating—especially for those living near Delaware or Swan Creek, or along Arlington Avenue,” said Stephens. “Please know our teams are working as quickly as possible to put a permanent fix in place.”
To report an overflowing manhole or if you have water in the basement, please call Engage Toledo at 419-936-2020.
Updates on the project will be posted here.
