CLEVELAND (WJW) – Surfers at Edgewater Beach said they’re encouraged by a new plan from the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District that would prevent raw sewage from flowing into Lake Erie.
“I’m stoked. If they are serious, that’s great,” said surfer Ian Douglas.
The proposed solution: construction of a 1,400-foot tunnel designed to reroute sewage backups before stormwater overflow is released into the lake.
Sewer district leaders said the project would cost about $20 million and could be in place by 2028.
The proposal was presented at the sewer district’s board of directors meeting recently.
Right now, stormwater and sanitary sewage run through the same tunnels on their way to treatment.
When the system overflows, bacteria levels in the lake spike—something surfers know all too well.
“There are plenty of days I check the bacteria counts and I’m like, ‘not today,’” said surfer Chris Harvin.
The district plans to meet with Cleveland Metroparks in the coming weeks to discuss impacts of the project within Edgewater Park.
For surfers who often skip the waves because of high bacteria counts, the change can’t come soon enough.
“My friends get ear infections, others have gotten sick from it. It’s something you contend with,” said Douglas.
Melissa Reid
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