Raw sewage flowing from a flood-damaged Indiana treatment plant has prompted health officials to warn residents away from the Great Miami River and Whitewater River, including waterways that feed downstream toward paddling sites in the West Chester and Liberty Township area.
Hamilton County Public Health issued the advisory Friday, Aug. 21, after learning that an unknown amount of untreated wastewater is actively being released into the Whitewater River from a plant in Connersville, Indiana, roughly 50 miles to the northwest. The contamination flows downstream into the Great Miami River south of where the two rivers meet in western Hamilton County.
The Great Miami River continues north into Butler County, where MetroParks of Butler County operates canoe and kayak launches at Rentschler Forest MetroPark and the Great Miami River Trail's Trenton Trailhead.
"It was a disaster down there," Connersville Mayor Chad Frank told WCPO 9 on Friday, Aug. 21. "We finally started getting some equipment on site. I wish I could give you a timeline. It depends on how much more damage we find."
What happened
Historic flooding the week of Aug. 11 inundated Connersville and forced water rescues along the Whitewater River. The floodwaters severely damaged the city's wastewater treatment plant, knocking it offline.
Engineers and contractors are working around the clock to restore the facility, but as of Friday, Aug. 21, crews were still pumping water from the plant's sub-basement. No repair timeline has been given.
The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) first alerted officials on Wednesday, Aug. 19. Hamilton County Public Health announced the advisory two days later.
Health risks
Dr. Steve Feagins, medical director for Hamilton County Public Health, warned residents to stay away from the water entirely. "The threat is both ingestion, meaning (getting) GI illness, or getting on the skin," Feagins said. "Certainly don't ingest it."
The health department's advisory noted that germs including E. coli and Cryptosporidium can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting. The risk is higher closer to the discharge source in Connersville and decreases farther downstream, but exposure could still cause illness in people and pets.
What residents should do
Hamilton County Public Health advises:
- Do not swim, boat or play in or near the affected waterways.
- Avoid bare skin contact with the water.
- Monitor children and pets closely, as they are more likely to ingest water.
- Wash hands, clothing and footwear thoroughly after being near the affected areas.
Officials have not said when the advisory will be lifted. Residents can check the Hamilton County Public Health website for updates.
Third advisory this summer
This is the third sewage-related water warning for the region since June, according to Hoodline. Hamilton County issued a Great Miami River contact advisory in June after an undertreated spill at the Middletown Wastewater Treatment Plant flowed downstream for five days. About five weeks before the current advisory, the county warned against contact with Dry Run Creek in Anderson Township after a separate raw sewage spill.
