Sewer overflow reported on East side of Grand Marais

A sewer overflow was reported to the City of Grand Marais at about 3 p.m. on Oct. 11. The sewer water was overflowing from a manhole on Highway 61 between the intersections with the Gunflint Trail and 5th St. The water was reported by eyewitnesses to be flowing from the manhole into a stream that feeds into Lake Superior.

City of Grand Marais Communications Director Patrick Knight told WTIP that city waste water staff were working to address the issue. He said that the cause of the overflow was not known as of 4:15 p.m. He went on to say that an additional maintenance crew was coming up from Superior, WI to “flush the line,” and try to determine the source of the water and the cause of the overflow.

Professor Emeritus in Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Minnesota, Tony Faras, told WTIP that he took video of the flow and reported it to city officials. He added that he and his wife noticed a sewage smell on Oct. 10, but that by the afternoon of Oct. 11, the smell had worsened, spurring them to investigate the odorous water, and follow it back from the lake, along the stream, back to the manhole.

Faras said that he is concerned that the water is untreated sewage, which could be dangerous to people and their pets who may come into contact with it. He took a sample of the water for testing, and said, “I can’t believe that it is nothing. This threw up a red flag.”

This is a breaking story and WTIP will provide updates as they become available. 

Kirsten Wisniewski October 11, 2024