Claudette Causes 14 Sanitary Sewer Overflows in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The City of Tuscaloosa has reported over a dozen sanitary sewer overflows to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management within the past 24 hours after Tropical Storm Claudette brought torrential rainfall to the Druid City.

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Some areas of Tuscaloosa saw over seven inches of rainfall Saturday, and the deluge caused tremendous train on the city's sewer systems. A list of current overflows is as follows:

Lift Station 2 in the 500 block 7th Avenue Northeast. The overflow is ongoing. It reached the Black Warrior River
Lift Station 3 in the 2000 block of Jack Warner Parkway. The overflow is ongoing. It reached the Black Warrior River
Lift Station 18 in the 4000 block of Greenview Drive. The overflow is ongoing. It reached an unnamed tributary that leads to Cypress Creek.
Lift Station 10 in the 6000 block of Keens Mill Road. The overflow is ongoing. It reached an unnamed tributary that leads to Cottondale Creek which leads to Hurricane Creek.
4000 block of Cherrystone Circle. The overflow is ongoing. It reached an unnamed tributary that leads to Cypress Creek.
Intersection of 35thStreet and Kaulton Road. The overflow is ongoing. It reached an unnamed tributary that leads to Cypress Creek.
4000 block of Kauloosa Avenue. The overflow is ongoing. It reached an unnamed tributary that leads to Cribbs Mill Creek.
Intersection of Rice Mine Road Northeast and Beacon Hill Parkway. The overflow is ongoing. It reached the Black Warrior River.
Intersection of Claybrook Drive and Claymont Parkway. The overflow is ongoing. It reached a storm drain that leads to an unnamed tributary that leads to Cribbs Mill Creek.
Lift Station 62 in the 400 block of 54th Avenue East. The overflow is ongoing. It reached an unnamed tributary that leads to Hurricane Creek.
Intersection of JVC Road and Interstate Drive. The overflow is ongoing. It reached an unnamed tributary that leads to Cottondale Creek which leads to Hurricane Creek.
Intersection of Oakwood Avenue and 13thStreet. The overflow is ongoing. It reached a storm drain that leads to an unnamed tributary that leads to Cribbs Mill Creek.
Lift Station 53 in the 4000 block of Holt Peterson Road. The overflow is ongoing. It reached a storm drain that leads to an unnamed tributary that leads to Hurricane Creek.
25th Avenue East and Alberta Parkway. The overflow is ongoing. It reached a storm drain that leads to an unnamed tributary that leads to the Black Warrior River.

Signage is in place at each affected area and crews are working to clean and sanitize each of the sites. The City of Tuscaloosa shared the following statement:

Those in affected areas should exercise caution. In the affected areas, there could be health risks associated with the water and contaminated areas that adjoin the water so the City of Tuscaloosa advises people to avoid the water and contaminated areas. Signage is in place at all affected locations and public should follow instructions if in an affected area.
This does not impact tap water as the water and wastewater systems are two completely different systems.

John Wathen of Black Warrior Riverkeeper urged residents to avoid the areas in and around Hurricane Creek.

"DO NOT PADDLE HURRICANE CREEK TODAY! We had about 2.51 in. rain during the recent storms. We also had 14 "reported" sewer overflows. 4 of these were in Hurricane Creek basin and reported as "ongoing," Wathen said.

Wathen said he would be visiting affected areas to take samples and test for water quality.

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