If you were planning a relaxing trip to the lake at Winton Woods sometime soon, you may want to reschedule. The Springfield Township attraction is closed to fishing and boating after a park employee yesterday discovered sewage flowing from a manhole north of the lake.
Crews from the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati are at the lake working to stop the flow, which they believe is happening due to an obstruction somewhere along the sewer line beneath.
A Hamilton County Great Parks staff member noticed odors and discoloration in a water retention pond north of the lake yesterday at about 12:30 p.m., according to a news release by the park system. Park workers quickly called MSD.
MSD workers at first thought they had stopped the flow of sewage but discovered it was still happening yesterday evening. The flow has slowed somewhat, however, as the crews cleared some of the blockage believed to be causing the leak.
“Crews are also preparing to pump sewage out of a pond and into a downhill sewer as well as sandbag the culvert feeding sewage into the lake from the pond,” the news release from Great Parks reads.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is providing technical support as MSD works to contain the leak and clean the surrounding areas.
The leak is not expected to affect drinking water.
This article appears in May 29 – Jun 5, 2019.