LAKE COUNTY >> Pump trucks continue to remove water from overwhelmed sewer systems in Lake County, making the same 24-7 routes as the last few weeks.
Scott Harter of the Lake County Special District said most all of the county’s sewer systems have far more water than they’re capable of processing.
“Our systems are significantly overwhelmed,” Harter said.
Some leakages have occurred, specifically one in Northern Lakeport, on Lakeshore Drive and another in Clearlake.
Harter said the leakage areas should be avoided, but waters from the lake and the rain have diluted the sewage. Many of the county’s manholes in low-lying areas sit completely underwater, continuously leaking lake water into the sewage systems.
Many private lateral system connections from homes to the public sewer ways are also likely backing up, but Harter said his department doesn’t have the ability to monitor them.
Harter said he has no numbers regarding the cost of the trucks or any repairs that may be needed in the system’s infrastructure, but the declaration of local emergency issued by Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin will likely help mitigate the expense.
