Sewage in the Illinois River has caused a Combined Sewer Overflow in Peoria
When Peoria gets too much rainfall, above 0.15 inches, the sewers overflow, and instead of that sewage going to the water treatment plant, it flows into the Illinois River, said Peoria Public Works spokesman Nick McMillion.
Peoria City Hall updates on Sewer Overflow Control Program progress
This, in turn, makes the water unsafe and can make people sick when they come in contact with it, whether it's drinking, swimming, skiing or other water activities, said McMillion.
'When this warning is posted, please avoid full-body contact with the Illinois River in the area downstream from Detweiller Marina. You may get sick if you swallow water while swimming, Jet Skiing, or water-skiing in these areas after a combined sewer overflow,' he said.
The alert is for the part of the river downstream from the Detweiller Marina. Due to a federal mandate, the city is building infrastructure to avoid these sewer overflows to stay in compliance with the Clean Water Act and a CSO Consent Decree with the Environmental Protection Agency, he said.
A map of areas affected, as well as more information on the CSO, can be found on the city's website.
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