Photo by Ursula Ruhl, South County Times
“How high’s the water, mama?” Johnny Cash sang in 1974. The scary answer: “Five feet and risin.’”
The late, great Cash should have seen our flooding Meramec River, between Kirkwood and Fenton, earlier this month. He could have easily sang, “43 feet and risin.’”
Pictured: Jason Knouft. Photo provided by Jason Knouft.
Associate Professor of Biology at Saint Louis University, Jason Knouft, talks with Don Corrigan about possible issues from raw sewage being pumped into the Meramec River because of the damaged Fenton Sewage Treatment Plant.
Fenton sewer plant, December 2015. Photos provided by Sean Hadley, Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District.
“There absolutely has to be a regional meeting to discuss what to do about the flooding,” said Fenton Mayor Mike Polizzi. “It’s getting worse. Having both I-44 and I-55 shut down by the flooding is unprecedented. I am hearing that this sewage problem could be with us into April or May.”
Fenton Wastewater Treatment Plant, December 2015. Photos provided by Sean Hadley, Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District.
The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) is advising the public to avoid contact with the Meramec River between Fenton, Mo, and the Mississippi River. The Fenton Wastewater Treatment Plant is not operational due to damage from the late December flooding. The damage, which could take months to repair, has resulted in untreated sewage being pumped directly into the Meramec River from homes and businesses.
Water over the top of Marshall Road in Kirkwood. photo by Diana Linsley, Webster-Kirkwood Times.
“We had a torrent, a white water situation coming down at us in Fenton,” Fenton Mayor Mike Polizzi said. “To give you an idea of what happened, that house that went under our bridge raced down to us all the way from Eureka. The Meramec is not the same river and it’s troubling.”
To hear the Environmental Echo interview with Professor Bob Criss click on audio below.
Pictured: Bob Criss at the Meramec River last October. Photo provided by Bob Criss.
“Our flood problems in St. Louis and St. Louis County have been hugely magnified by what I would call idiotic decisions since 1993 especially,” Bob Criss said. “And we knew better.”
Environmental Echo 