In Sept. 2019, a malfunction at a Springfield pump station triggered 90,000 gallons of untreated sewage released into the Connecticut River. Two months earlier, in South Hadley, a split in an 8-inch bypass led to a discharge of 284,193 gallons of raw sewage into the river.
A bill signed last week by Gov. Charlie Baker required the public must be provided with more timely notice of spills into rivers and waterways.
The bill requires operators to alert local boards of health within 2 hours of any sewer spill and also provide updates every eight hours until the spill is contained. The signing of this bill is a major victory for public health and transparency. Previous rules dictated operators to notify the Department of Environmental Protection within 24 hours.
Andrea Donlon of the Connecticut River Conservancy advocating for the bill in March said, “We look forward to the day when sewage spills are a distant, unpleasant memory in Massachusetts. We need public notification to keep our residents and their pets safe from sewage spills when they happen, and funding for our water and wastewater infrastructure to prevent spills from happening in the first place.”
In the summer months, there is a tremendous amount of recreation on the Connecticut River and tributaries. Getting the word out of a spill sooner, offers swimmers, boaters, and fishermen an opportunity to get out of the river to avoid contamination. Untreated sewage poses major health risks since it contains life-threatening pathogens that can lead to eye and ear infections, hepatitis, dysentery and other diseases. Julia Blatt of the Massachusetts Rivers Alliance says that each year 3 billion gallons of raw or partially treated sewage is discharged into the state waterways.
The 410-mile-long river from the Quebec-New Hampshire border to Long Island Sound is a source of pride for every city and town through which it flows. Due to construction of sewage treatment plants and organizations that work with thousands of volunteers to help with clean-up efforts, the river has transformed into a popular form of recreation and sport. Measures to keep residents safe from the inevitable accident only adds value to this priceless natural resource.
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February 24, 2021 at 10:55PM
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Sewage discharge law correct step for public health (Editorial) - masslive.com
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