City Reports 14,000 Gallon Sewer Overflow

Baltimore public works officials say a sanitary sewer overflowed into the Jones Falls early Friday, due to heavy overnight rains.

The more than 14,000 gallon overflow stopped around 5:30. It happened at a century-old structured overflow at North Charles and West Lanvale streets. Such overflow points are being phased out as part of the city's $1 billion consent decree with federal regulators. The structures act as a release valve when the pipes are overloaded with rainwater that enters the sewer mains.

It was the only overflow reported as a result of this week's rains. City health officials and state environmental officials were notified, according to a release.

The public is asked to avoid coming in contact with urban streams during times of heavy, prolonged rain because of the risk of possible pollutants in the waterways.