Indiana Cities Report 3.5 Billion Gallons of

 Sewage Bypasses and Overflows in 6500 Events Since 1997

The Indiana Clean Water Coalition obtained a copy of a database developed by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to log sanitary sewer overflows, dry-weather combined sewer overflows and   wastewater treatment plant bypasses reported to IDEM in its Bypass & Overflow Incident Reporting Program.  The database does not include wet-weather combined sewer overflows or discharges of fully-treated wastewater.  These discharges are reported differently – through monthly discharge monitoring reports and not as incidents. 

Incidents are reported to IDEM by operators of facilities covered by a wastewater discharge permit known as a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit pursuant to their permit requirements.  While permit requirements vary, typically the operator calls IDEM within 24 hours and later submits a written incident report. 

The database only contained incidents reported between January 1, 1997 and May 2, 2002.  The vast majority of the incidents involved raw sewage or partially treated sewage from municipalities or sewage treatment utilities.  The balance involved industrial or commercial facilities.

The problem appears to be getting worse.  From 2000 to 2001, the reported gallons released increased 67% and the number of reported incidents increased 31%.  IDEM believes that part of the increase is due to more accurate and complete reporting.