With inches of snow still on the ground and warming conditions and rain in the forecast, the combination has potential to increase flooding risks across Greater Cleveland.
In preparation for upcoming wet weather events, we want customers and residents know how and why wet-weather events impact our region’s sewer infrastructure. With snow still standing on the saturated ground, it is possible that the rainfall could affect areas prone to flooding.
Here are some common questions amidst the anticipated warming trend.
How do storms impact sewers? Isn't that what sewers were designed to handle?
The first concern is the amount of combined sewage entering local waterways. Combined sewage is flow that contains both sewage and stormwater. Here's why:
In Cleveland, inner-ring suburbs, and many other older communities, sewers were designed in the 1800s as combined sewers to carry both sanitary sewage and stormwater in the same pipe. During heavy rains, these sewers are overwhelmed and combined sewage overflows into the environment. When there is snow-covered ground and the earth is already saturated, the rain is not soaked slowly into the ground; instead, it runs off to sewers, increasing flow volumes tremendously.
