The service is free for South Bend residents, but they will need to show their ID. Items containing mercury should be disposed of at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility, located at 828 Kerr Street. View the EPA’s list of common consumer products that contain mercury. Mercury can be found in old thermometers, fluorescent and high intensity discharge light bulbs, switches in appliances and automotive applications, medical instruments, dental amalgam, some batteries and other products. These levels are closely monitored by the regional EPA since the river water eventually travels to the Lake Michigan. The wastewater treatment plant cannot remove all the mercury therefore, small amounts may end up in the river after the wastewater is cleaned and released. South Bend’s drinking water meets all water quality standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and does not have any detectable mercury however, some mercury can be detected in the wastewater. Learn more about Indiana’s Fish Consumption Advisory. Therefore, eating certain varieties of fish can expose humans and larger animals to higher amounts of mercury. Organisms and fish absorb mercury and its bio-accumulates as it moves up the food chain. If liquid mercury escapes down a drain, it can go through the wastewater treatment plant and be released into waterways. The toxic vapors are also released when mercury-containing products are broken. Since mercury is naturally present in coal, burning coal for power generation can release it into the air. Unborn and young children are the most vulnerable to its effects. Excessive exposure to mercury can impact the central nervous system and affect the way people see, hear and function. Exposure can occur by breathing its vapors, ingesting mercury-containing food or water or absorbing it through the skin. If not disposed of properly, mercury can escape into the environment, putting humans and animals at risk. Mercury is a naturally occurring element that conducts electricity, combines easily with other metals, and expands and contracts evenly with temperature changes. Because of these properties, it is used in many household, medical and industrial products such as fluorescent light bulbs and old thermometers.Īlthough mercury is useful, it is also toxic. Phase 2, known in South Bend as our SAGE Plan, (Smarter Alternative for a Greener Environment) will be completed in 2038. Commenced in 2021, the first projects are wastewater treatment plant expansion and the building of the City’s first ever combined sewage storage tank (two million gallon). Phase 2 of the LTCP will cost more $276 million to implement. Phase 1 was a success, having removed over 75% of the annual CSO volume and preventing more than 1,500 million gallons of combined sewage from entering the St. The system also contains smart moving valves that direct flow in the sewer and control storm water basin levels. Containing over 150 sensors, the Smart Sewer System provides data for a range of parameters including flow, depth, velocity, and weir/gate control valve position. In certain South Bend neighborhoods, sewer separation (uncombining of the sewer system) occurred as well as the creation of the City’s Smart Sewer System. Phase 1 was completed in 2017 at a cost of nearly $150 million. TWO PHASES OF SOUTH BEND’S LONG-TERM CONTROL PLAN As required by federal regulation, the City is taking steps to upgrade its sewer system to end this practice and to improve its local water quality. Known as the Long-term Control Plan (LTCP), steps are currently being implemented and will be complete by 2038. When excess rain overloads these pipes, an event known as a combined sewer overflow (CSO) occurs, sending dirty water into the river. Like many cities, South Bend has a combined sewer, meaning rainwater and sewage often travel in the same pipes.
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