Below is the updated notice from the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission.
For Immediate Release The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission is issuing a correction to its recent CSO Public Advisory issued on June 4 at 8:35 PM. After receiving the automated alarm, staff investigated the data as it appeared incongruous with recent weather patterns. The investigation determined that the alarm was false and there was no discharge into the Connecticut River at that date and time. A notification was sent on Monday, June 5 at 10:19 PM to all CSO Public Advisory recipients reflecting this correction. The Commission’s CSO Public Notification system relies on automated sensors at each of its 23 combined sewer outfalls to alert of CSO discharges into the Connecticut, Chicopee and Mill Rivers. Data is analyzed following each event in order to ensure accuracy of the results. The reliance on sensitive instrumentation in harsh environmental conditions such as debris and flooding, as well as technology failures despite routine maintenance, can lead to false alerts. The limits of technology to respond the state-mandated CSO Public Advisory regulation is a known risk, and procedures are in place to inform the public of false alerts. As a reminder, any time a CSO Public Advisory is issued, the public is advised to avoid contact with the affected water bodies for at least 48 hours. The public may sign up to receive CSO Public Advisories at SpringfieldAlerts.com. For more information, please visit the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission website at: www.waterandsewer.org |