February 20, 2018

CSO Notice NPDES Permit No. IN0025755
Outfall No. 008

The City of Goshen is experiencing a lot of rainfall and snowmelt which is causing the wet weather detention facility to discharge. The wastewater treatment plants flow has exceeded the maximum design flow, sewers are surcharged and the wet weather detention facility is at full capacity. Rain is expected to continue throughout the day and into tomorrow (02/21/2018).

Indiana law (327 IAC 5-2.1) requires communities with combined sewer overflows (CSOs) to offer public notification when CSOs are discharging. The City of Goshen is one of Indiana’s communities with CSOs that are covered by the law. To comply, we offer our customers and other interested persons an alert notification via e-mail.

All of Goshen’s Combined Sewer Overflows are located on the Elkhart River at 705 Indiana Avenue and 1000 W. Wilden Avenue. The affected areas include:

From 705 Indiana Avenue downstream, including Ox Bow County Park and any areas bordering the Elkhart River.

CSOs may occur when the capacity of the wet weather detention facility and the wastewater treatment plant are exceeded, due to rainfall, snowmelt, total loss of power, etc. When this occurs, the excess storm water and sanitary sewage may discharge to the Elkhart River through combined sewer overflows. The greatest impacts of discharges from CSOs are associated with bacteria in the untreated sewage and in the storm water run-off. Bacteria levels in the river can rise for several days following a CSO discharge.

Clean waterways are a priority for the City of Goshen. The City is implementing many projects to improve our waterway and to reduce combined sewer overflows. These efforts include expanding and modernizing our wastewater treatment plant and improving the sewage collection system.