A report indicates a winter storm impacted Crystal Beach treatment plant, spilling sewage into Lake Erie
Niagara regional council is seeking answers to why 30,000,000 litres of raw sewage was leaked into Lake Erie during the winter storm before Christmas.
The weather impacted the equipment at the Crystal Beach Wastewater Treatment plant.
The plant is operated by one person weekly from 7 to 3, and once that person left for the day, council staff member Todd Harrison revealed further problems as the storm continued.
"Once the staff person left, it was very challenging for staff to get out to the site, which was on the night of the 23rd, going into the 24th... that was primarily the reason."
Regional staff added workers who tried to get to Crystal Beach couldn't make it home for the weather.
Councillor Joyce Morocco was told by regional staff there aren't too many options on what to do with sewage during a time like this. "Basically what we're trying to do is save the damage that is going to occur to peoples' homes and other areas due to this overflow, and we have no choice but to pump it into the lake.... and, of course, deal with the misery after."
A report by the region indicates the weather lead to a series of events, or malfunctions, in the equipment at the plant, which lead to a valve not working that would have sent the sewage into the plant for treatment. Instead, the sewage ended up in the lake.
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