Rain, rain go away.

For the month of March, Spokane has set a rainfall record, creating quite the impact on our beloved river. In the last two days, 10 out of the 22 Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO) were, well, overflowing with sewage and stormwater. This happens when the Spokane Wastewater Treatment Plant exceeds capacity.

CSO's are common - especially in the Puget Sound - but in a way, they are a reminder of a dirty legacy: Spokane's original wastewater system carried all sewage to the Spokane River and Latah Creek. Everything was dumped untreated before the wastewater plant was built and there were interceptor systems in place. 

(Department Of Ecology photo of Spokane CSO, 1970's.)

To upgrade, the City Of Spokane is building underground tanks - CSO basins - to detain overflow from flowing into the Spokane River during rainfall and we've seen success with SURGE projects on Lincoln Street and Broadway Avenue. Spokane borrowed $1 million from Department Of Ecology to pay for a CSO tank near the T.J. Meenach Bridge. The project is one of many that will add up to an estimated $300 million through 2017. That's the deadline that’s been set for the city to stop nearly all discharges of raw sewage into the river. 

You can track CSO overlflow in real time HERE. Be advised: The CSO overflow will carry bacteria, viruses, chemicals and oils into the river. 

After the jump, check an interview on KXLY with the Spokane Riverkeeper and Marlene Feist from the City Of Spokane on this issue. 

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