These emails from the city always paint a lovely picture. I figured I’d share today.

Indianapolis’ Combined Sewer System within the original City limits is more than 100 years old and was designed to carry both raw sewage and rainwater in the same pipe. As little as a quarter-inch (0.25″) of rain can overload the Combined Sewer System, causing raw sewage mixed with rainwater to overflow into nearby streams. Other circumstances occasionally occur that may also cause Combined Sewer Overflows such as mechanical failures, blockages, and hydrant flushing/water main breaks. The City has posted signs along our streams to identify more than 130 Combined Sewer discharge points where contact with the water could be hazardous to your health.

Even in dry weather, it is best to avoid contact with Combined Sewer impacted streams and teach children to stay out of the water. Swallowing or hand-to-mouth contact with contaminated water could make you sick. Always wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer after contacting surface water in urban areas, including downstream of the Combined Sewer areas, especially before eating, drinking, preparing food, or smoking.

Today, raw sewage overflows will occur or have occurred due to a rain event, a localized rain event, or other circumstances within the last 72 hours.

Please avoid all contact with streams for the next 4 days downstream of the Combined Sewer areas which include:

• White River downstream from 56th Street
• Fall Creek downstream from Keystone Avenue
• Little Eagle Creek downstream from Michigan Street
• Eagle Creek downstream from the confluence of Little Eagle Creek
• Pogues Run downstream from 21st Street
• Pleasant Run downstream from Kitley Avenue
• State Ditch downstream from Southern Avenue
• Bean Creek downstream from I-65

The City of Indianapolis is implementing a 20-year, long-term plan to capture raw sewage overflows during all but a few large storms each year. To view a list of planned projects or to learn how to protect yourself from raw sewage overflows, visit www.indy.gov/DPW.

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