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Sanitary Sewer Overflow Notification

Archived News Release: September 19, 2016 - ​(Update issued 4 p.m. Sept. 21, 2016) At approximately 7 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 19, 2016, a sanitary sewer overflow was discovered in the construction area on Geddes Avenue near the entrance to Gallup Park. The cause of the overflow was determined to be construction debris that had accumulated in a sanitary sewer pipe, blocking flow. The blockage was immediately removed and flow restored. The overflow occurred sometime between 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016, and Monday, Sept. 19, 2016, at 7 a.m. It is estimated that up to 600,000 gallons of sewage reached the Huron River.

There are no communities downstream of the plant that withdraws water from the Huron River for drinking purposes. In accordance with regulatory protocols, City of Ann Arbor staff contacted the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to inform them of this unfortunate incident. The Gallup Park canoe livery has suspended Geddes Pond stillwater paddles and the Argo-Gallup canoe trips until water test results are obtained.  

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Media Contact Information

Paul Matthews
Assistant Manager, Public Works
[email protected]


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