Milwaukee heavy rain and sewer overflows; beaches remain closed

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Bradford Beach, Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE - Bradford Beach and McKinley Beach will remain closed through Saturday, Aug. 16 due to recent heavy rain and sewer overflows in the Milwaukee area.

Beaches closed

What we know:

Based on guidance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences and the potential presence of harmful microorganisms such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium, the City of Milwaukee Health Department is extending the closure to protect public health.

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These germs can cause illness if the water is swallowed or comes into contact with the eyes, nose, or open wounds.

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) has reported:

Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) were approximately 90-95% groundwater and rainwater, with little untreated overflow in the past day or two.
Some nearby communities discharged untreated wastewater into local waterways during the storm to prevent widespread basement backups.
Overflow water was not treated before reaching waterways.

The beaches are expected to reopen on Sunday, Aug. 17, pending the absence of severe weather and acceptable water quality test results.

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What's next:

If the National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts moderate or high surf conditions or if heavy rain occurs over the weekend, the closure may be extended for safety.

For more information

Beach status updates:milwaukee.gov/beaches
CDC Giardia info:cdc.gov/giardia
CDC Cryptosporidium info: cdc.gov/cryptosporidium
NWS surf conditions: weather.gov/greatlakes/beachhazards
MMSD CSO impacted waters: mmsd.com/cso-impacted-waters

The Source: The information in this post was provided by Milwaukee Water Works.

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