Baltimore - Heavy rainfall led to an overflow of an estimated 51,000 gallons from a sanitary sewer line on the night of June 27 in the 1700 block of East Chase Street. A crew from the Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) responded and found the sewer line had taken on more water than could move through the line. The crew blocked off the street to traffic from 8 P.M. until shortly after midnight, when the water dissipated.

Earlier, DPW reported an  overflow at the Patapsco Wastewater Treatment Plant in Wagner’s Point. The overflow began at approximately 5:30 P.M. and, except for a minor residual, was stopped about 9:30 P.M. Early estimates place the overflow at about 100,000 to 150,000 gallons. This wastewater entered the Patapsco River in the Outer Harbor.

The cause was the massive inflow of stormwater entering the sewer lines as a result of the day's prolonged hard rain. The 3.11 inches of rain on the day was a record for any June 27. The Maryland Department of the Environment and the Baltimore City Health Department have been notified of this event.

Baltimore City is in the construction phase of a $1 Billion Consent Decree Program to rehabilitate our sewer infrastructure which will help to reduce sewer overflows. At this time $100,000,000 in sewer rehabilitation projects are occurring throughout the City.