In a developing story out of Livingston County, Michigan, local health officials have taken rapid action to close Ore Lake and Little Ore Lake after a sewage spill this past weekend, as first reported by CBS News Detroit. According to police reports released Sunday, a sewer break on Branch Drive at Mohican Drive led to sewage being released into the lake, prompting the health department to issue a no-go for swimming and other water activities until further notice.
Hamburg Township supervisor Pat Hohl was on the scene and described the discharge as a "significant amount of sewage" flowing from a manhole into the already flooded area around Ore Lake, this was shared by WXYZ. The situation was exacerbated by flooding in the area, with the Huron River near Hamburg reportedly reaching Moderate Flood Stage. Efforts to contain the spill have led to the deployment of public safety personnel to alert residents, and police boats were used to enforce the water activity ban.
By Sunday noon, the flow of sewage was significantly reduced, thanks to the swift response of the Hamburg Township Department of Public Works and supporting contractors, crews were able to halt the discharge shortly thereafter; these developments were detailed in a statement by WHMI. Implementation of emergency operations procedures involved coordination between local public works, emergency management, and the Livingston County Health Department.
While initial mitigation has ceased the sewer discharge, the full impact on Ore Lake's E. coli levels remains undetermined pending water tests that are crucial before lifting the ban on water activities. The public has been advised to stay clear of the lakes, with the repair process to the sewer break still ongoing and under careful surveillance by local authorities with sandbags and drones being utilized to assess and document the impact of the spill, according to reports from CBS News Detroit.
For residents requiring more information on the incident or the ongoing safety measures, Hamburg Township Supervisor Hohl has been made available for contact via email at [email protected], as noted by regional news outlets covering the story.
