The Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) says a partial blockage caused by roots and wet wipes is to blame for sewage getting into the lake at Winton Woods this week.
In a statement, the agency says the blockage has been removed.
"The blockage caused a sewage discharge from a manhole during the rain event earlier this week," the statement reads.
The sewage flowed into a lake tributary about a mile north of the lake itself. From there, it flowed into Winton Lake.
MSD says cleanup along that creek is complete and water quality testing is ongoing. The lake remains closed to recreation.
"MSD has proactively been inspecting sewer lines in and around Winton Woods for the last six years to help reduce the risk of sewer blockages. Our crews have inspected and cleaned more than 7 miles of mainline pipe and inspected more than 200 manholes. Hamilton County residents can help MSD out by only flushing the 3Ps: toilet paper, No. 1, and No. 2.," the statement concludes.
Updates on the closure can be found on the Great Parks website.
Hamilton County Public Health has said children and pets should not be allowed near the affected area; people should avoid coming into contact with lake water; and advises thoroughly washing hands, clothing and footwear after being in the area.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers confirms to WVXU that the sewage discharge into the lake will not affect work on the Winton Lake dam, which is scheduled to begin in August. That work will involve drawing down the lake — known as West Fork Lake by the Corps, but more commonly as Winton Lake, as it was named by Great Parks — by at least 8 feet.
Previous environmental issues
In June 2019, sewage was discovered overflowing from two manholes into a pond and, from there, into Winton Lake. A blocked sewer line was to blame. The Metropolitan Sewer District determined a mass of tree roots, grease, and "flushable" wipes caused the sewer line to overflow.
Despite being marketed as "flushable," wet wipes do not break down in water the way toilet paper does. They can become tangled around equipment or get combined with grease and other refuse items to form "fatbergs" — congealed masses that clog sewer lines and cause backups and overflows.
This isn't the first environmental hazard for Great Parks. On March 17, 2014, an oil pipeline operated by a Sunoco subsidiary burst, sending 20,000 gallons of oil down a hillside stream at Oak Glen Nature Preserve in Colerain Township. The cleanup and remediation lasted several years. Restoration is complete, and the preserve is in a monitoring state.
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