Diluted wastewater discharged into Root River and Lake Michigan after Sunday’s rains | Local News

RACINE – There was discharge of diluted wastewater from Racine’s sanitary sewer system Sunday and Monday into the Root River and Lake Michigan following historic rains.

Totals of the amount released are not expected to be released until the end of the week when a formal report is issued by the state Department of Natural Resources.

According to a statement from the Racine Water Utility: “Significant rainfall accumulation and sustained duration resulted in the surcharging of sewer infrastructure and discharge into the river and lake. The system operated as designed in response to excess peak wet weather flows but was eventually overwhelmed by the rain event with initial reports of 6.75 inches over the duration.”

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IN PHOTOS | First snow of the season in Racine County in December 2020

Main Street in Downtown Racine soon after snow started falling Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020

ADAM ROGAN,

Christmas lights and snowfall in Mount Pleasant

Tuesday, Dec 29, 2020

ADAM ROGAN,

Pam Carey

Pam Carey flings snow into the air as she finishes clearing her Mount Pleasant driveway of snow Wednesday morning after 5-6 inches of snow was dumped on the area.

ADAM ROGAN,

Union Grove snowplow clears street

A Union Grove village snowplow driver clears Vine Street in Union Grove in late December 2020 after the winter season’s first major snowfall, kicking off what has become a busy winter for street crews.

Journal Times file photo

Father and son

Father and son Ryan Smithke Sr. and Ryan Smithke Jr. use shovels to clear out a vehicle along Graceland Boulevard Wednesday morning.

ADAM ROGAN,

Sophie Buford of Burlington plays in the snow

Sophie Buford, 3, of Burlington, enjoys a day in the snow Wednesday after the winter season’s first major snowfall outside her family’s apartment at Fox Crossing Apartments.

Scott Williams, Journal Times

Father and son

Father and son Ryan Smithke Sr. and Ryan Smithke Jr., flinging snow into the air, use shovels to clear out a vehicle along Graceland Boulevard Wednesday morning.

ADAM ROGAN,

Pam Carey

Pam Carey uses a snowblower to clear her Mount Pleasant driveway Wednesday morning after the first significant snowfall of the season in Racine County.

ADAM ROGAN,

Sisters Olivia and Sophie Buford play in the snow in Burlington

Sisters Sophie Buford, 3, left, and Olivia Buford, 8, play in the snow Wednesday outside their apartment in Fox Crossing Apartments in Burlington, taking advantage of the winter season’s first major snowfall.

Scott Williams, Journal Times

Pam Carey

Pam Carey flings snow into the air as she finishes clearing her Mount Pleasant driveway of snow Wednesday morning after 5-6 inches of snow was dumped on the area.

ADAM ROGAN,

James Martin

James Martin of Racine uses a snowblower to clear a few inches of snow along Villa Street Wednesday morning.

ADAM ROGAN,

Sweep Away

Dave Slye deploys a broom to clear snow off a car on Wednesday outside his home on 14th Avenue in Union Grove, after an overnight snowfall that brought 5 to 6 1/2 inches of snow to Racine County.

SCOTT WILLIAMS,

James Martin

James Martin of Racine uses a snowblower to clear a few inches of snow along Villa Street Wednesday morning.

ADAM ROGAN,

Brenda Norvell

Brenda Norvell of Racine shovels her sidewalk and front steps Wednesday morning on Villa Street.

ADAM ROGAN,

Pam Carey

Pam Carey flings snow into the air as she finishes clearing her Mount Pleasant driveway of snow Wednesday morning after 5-6 inches of snow was dumped on the area.

ADAM ROGAN,

Jesus Rodriguez

Jesus Rodriguez of Racine uses a snowblower to clear a few inches of snow along Villa Street Wednesday morning.

ADAM ROGAN,

Smiling and sledding

Chris, who declined to give his last name, helps his son Domerion, 7, sled down a hill in Racine on Wednesday afternoon. Across the county, between 5 and 6 1/2 inches of snow fell, according to the National Weather Service, with 5 inches falling at the Racine Wastewater Utility, 6.3 inches falling south of the Oak Creek Power Plant, and 6 inches falling in Rochester . Those inch counts are near the median statewide, with Beloit, West Allis, Sullivan, Palmyra and Stoughton in Dane County all recording at least 8 inches of snow. In Kenosha, 2.2 inches were recorded, although Twin Lakes in western Kenosha County got more than 5 inches. For a preview of the snow that may be coming on New Year’s Day, turn to Weather, Page A6.

DEE HOLZEL,

Father and son on the sledding hill

Chris helps his 3-year-old son Nolan sled down a hill in Racine Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday was really the first time Nolan has been out in the snow, since they didn’t get the chance to play in it last year when he was 2. Luckily, Chris, who didn’t provide his last name, had the day off and could take his son’s sledding.

DEE HOLZEL,

Brothers and sleds

Brothers Nolan, 3, at right, and Domerion, 7, run back up a sledding hill Wednesday afternoon in Racine after the city was blanketed with snow for this first time this season.

DEE HOLZEL,

Kayla Olalde shovels snow in Burlington

Kayla Olalde, manager of Sunset Apartments in Burlington, shovels snow outside the Sunset Drive apartment complex Wednesday following the area’s first major snowfall of the winter season.

Scott Williams, Journal Times

Christmas lights under the snow Tuesday night

Submitted by Ashley Renee

Cars iced over Tuesday evening as Racine County gets hit with first significant snowfall of the season

Submitted by Austin Feeler

Wisconsin Avenue soon after snow started to fall on the evening of Tuesday, Dec. 29

ADAM ROGAN,

Olivia Buford, 8, of Burlington plays in the snow

Olivia Buford, 8, of Burlington, catches her breath atop a snow pile Wednesday while enjoying the aftermath of the area’s first major snowfall of the winter season outside her family’s apartment at Fox Crossing Apartments.

Scott Williams, Journal Times

Perry Avenue gets covered in snow

ADAM ROGAN,

Kurt Lakatos of Burlington shovels snow outside his home

Kurt Lakatos shovels snow Wednesday from the sidewalk outside his home on Rose Ann Drive in Burlington, joining others in southeastern Wisconsin in digging out from the region’s first major snowfall of the winter season.

Scott Williams, Journal Times

Jason Houdek uses snow-blower in Union Grove

Jason Houdek uses a snow-blower to clear a neighbor’s driveway Wednesday on Main Street in Union Grove, as the region digs out from the first major snowfall of the winter season.

Scott Williams, Journal Times

snowy day

Ronald Strickland was out early Wednesday morning shoveling the sidewalk for a friend.

DEE HOLZEL,

snowy day

City of Racine crews work to get the sidewalks cleared Wednesday morning.

Dee Holzel

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