BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — She was out birdwatching two weeks ago on the nature trail along the Jones Falls when Beth Miller spotted something that really was foul.
“So, here’s some sewage debris right here. Looks like paper. Those are probably flushable wipes,” Miller said as she pointed out refuge trapped in the brush.
Further down the trail, Miller, who is one of the founders of the Green Towson Alliance, discovered the source of the apparent sewage overflow.
Founder of Green Towson Alliance speaks on sewage overflow
“That manhole cover was off, laying on the ground,” said Miller, “It’s bolted on. You can see so there was enough pressure in the pipe, which is caused by when it rains a lot, water infiltrates into the pipes, the sewer pipes, and increases the volume and the pressure is so much it surges up these manholes, and in this case, was enough pressure to pop that lid off.”
Miller’s environmental group has long battled the county over the costs of allowing more development than the sewage system could handle, but this seemed much more simple than that.
She notified them of her discovery and tried to direct them to the source of the spill not once, but twice.
“So, I told them again where it was and I just didn’t get the sense that anyone was going to be looking for an overflow,” explained Miller, “That all they were concerned about was getting the manhole cover back on.”
More than a decade ago, the county commissioned a consultant who suggested if this manhole cover ever came off, the spill would represent "at least a million gallons.”
For her part, Miller wanted to see the trail closed, some health hazard signs posted or the obvious:
“Well, I’d like to be able to go hiking and not see wipes and toilet paper and tampons along the trail,” said Miller.
“It certainly has to make you wonder what you’re not seeing,” I responded.
“Exactly,” she added, “That’s why I’m wearing boots.”
Meanwhile, the county acknowledges it was notified, confirms it put the manhole cover back in place and says it is actively monitoring sewer flows in the area.
