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The Center for Disease Control says that, “Some of the types of pathogens found in wastewater that are hazardous to humans include bacteria, viruses, and parasites… Scientists believe that there may be hundreds more disease-causing organisms in wastewater that have not yet been identified” (McKenzie 19-20). In addition, the CDC also states human contact with wastewater is always considered dangerous to the health of the person because of the high levels of disease causing organisms that are present in the water. Furthermore, saying that the majority of people who do happen to come in contact with the hazardous material in water will never develop symptoms of the underlying infection or disease (McKenzie 20). The hazardous nature of this substance implies that its presence alone could be devastating to the health of the surrounding community in a place that is as frequently visited as a metropolitan park. Unfortunately, the city of Louisville is currently facing the problem of a combined sewer overflow that is leaking raw sewage into Beargrass Creek, which flows throughout the city. But most importantly, it flows through Cherokee Park, and right underneath Big Rock. According to the Metropolitan sewer District’s 2005 report of the Beargrass Creek watershed, “Currently, Beargrass Creek is in critical condition, failing to meet the state water quality standards. It is unsuitable for fishing or swimming” (“Water Quality Status Report” 4).  In this paper, I will discuss the destructive consequences that free floating, raw sewage can inflict on the surrounding wildlife and the visitors to the park; as well as a possible solution to eliminate the problem, including previous attempts to similar situations in various cities. Through detailed analyzation of the flaws in the original structure of the sewer system and the reason that this situation is still prevalent today, it will be inherently obvious that the city of Louisville cannot continue on this current path because the existence of the randomly active combined sewer overflow taints the pure, clean nature of the atmosphere that is Cherokee Park, including Big Rock.

To begin, it is important to explain the setting, which is Cherokee Park. Big Rock is only a brief hike back into the woods, however, upon arrival, the surreal atmosphere and the expanse of greenery provides a unique hideaway away from the rest of the world. The predominant silence allows the mind to wander without distraction. Being here brings an overwhelmingly peaceful state of mind. As the cool water flows gently but forcefully over the rocks, the sun shines tenderly creating a warm, pleasant feeling that envelops the body. The sweet smell of fresh flowers blows gently through the air and the songs of birds and other wild animals sing a beautiful chorus that is music to the ears. This tranquil environment promotes relax calming both the mind and the body. This place provides a brief escape from the everyday hassles of life, and because of the overwhelming presence of new growth, it is effortless to be consumed with the beautiful simplicity of nature and wildlife.  When describing the emotional impact that Cherokee park has had on him, Bill Wolfe, a Louisville reporter for Hello Metro, says, “The expanse of greenery and recreational amenities seems a world unto itself" (1). Due to this strong appeal, it is understandable that it is estimated that “The park draws nearly 500,000 visitors per year" (Wolfe 1).  Indeed, many people are drawn to the place created by the father of American landscape architecture, Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed various parks throughout the United States including Louisville’s own Cherokee Park. When speaking about the impact that nature has on his emotions, Olmsted once said,

If we analyze the operations of scenes of beauty upon the mind, and consider the intimate relation of the mind upon the nervous system and the whole physical economy, the action and reaction which constantly occur between bodily and mental condition, the reinvigoration which results from such scenes is readily comprehended… the enjoyment of scenery employs the mind without fatigue and yet exercises it; tranquilizes it and yet enlivens it; and thus, through the influence of the mind over the body gives the effect of refreshing rest and reinvigoration  to the whole system (5).

Here, he is saying that our mind and body are rejuvenated by the beautiful and pure nature of scenes of wildlife. However, not every aspect of Cherokee Park is as pristine as it may seem.  Various signs posted throughout the park warn visitors of the possibility of toxic levels of contaminations in the water of Beargrass Creek.

To understand the problem of contaminated water that is currently facing the city of Louisville, it is important to look at the origins of the sewer systems. According to the Metro Sewer District of Louisville, or MSD, one of the most troublesome aspects of the inherited city sewer system is one that the Commissioners of Sewerage, originally, the organization created to safely and effectively deal with the sewage from the city, had considered as effective, combined sewers.  "Combined sewers carry both wastewater and storm water in the same pipe" (“MSD History” 3). However there is one major problem with this policy, which is that the pipes were not equipped to deal with the flow of water. "During heavy rains, the combined sewers become overloaded. The interceptor lines spill their mixture of storm water and wastewater through combined sewer overflows designed for the purpose" (“MSD History” 3). As time has passed, however it has become evident that the combining of storm water and wastewater is creating many problems throughout the system. MSD says that, "Untreated sewage is dumped into the streams when heavy rains overload the sewer lines, and partially treated wastewater has to be dumped into the streams and the river when heavy rains overload the treatment plants” (“MSD History” 8). The total amount of untreated sewage that is being released is greatly amplified by a growing population. Indeed, in Retrospective of Ecological Approaches to Excess Sludge Reduction, the authors, Anwar Khursheed and A.A. Kazmi, say that “Ecological imbalances are the fallout of economic and industrial development; the problem is particularly pronounced where the populations are large and increasing exponentially” (4302). This proves to be true for the city of Louisville. According to the United States Census Bureau, the population of Jefferson County, Kentucky has increased by 6.8% in the last ten years; from 693,607 people in 2000 to 741,096 people in 2010 (Jefferson County Quick Facts 1). It is clearly comprehendible that a rapid growth of population of this magnitude would greatly increase the amount of raw sewage entering the sewer system, which in turn, would increase the amount of untreated sewage that is overflowing into the streams of Beargrass Creek, and eventually, the Ohio River. Because of the increase of contaminating substances entering the water, it is clear that due to the high levels of annual visitors to the park, there is also an increased concern for the health and wellbeing of the community of Louisville.

Coming in contact with raw sewage can be severely dangerous to a person’s health because there are multiple forms of disease-causing pathogens contained within any form of sewage. The Indiana department of health has outlined a list of fifteen major health concerns caused by contact of sewage or sewage contaminated water. Some examples include infection from the bacteria campylobacteriosis, disease from the microscopic parasite cryptosporidiosis parvum, and infection from the bacteria E.coli (ISDH Diseases Involving Sewage 1). The vast majority of these diseases have their greatest impact on the digestive system of the human body. Also, the risk of contact with contaminated water increases exponentially for infants, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.

In addition to being harmful to humans, raw sewage can also have a profound negative impact on the ecological system of aquatic life.

Some Sources:

Pascale Rouault, et al. "Contribution of combined sewer overflows to trace contaminant loads in urban streams." Water Research 44.15 (2010): 4451-4462. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 22 July 2011.

Thomas R. Burkot, et al. "The Risk of West Nile Virus Infection Is Associated with Combined Sewer Overflow Streams in Urban Atlanta, Georgia, USA." Environmental Health Perspectives 118.10 (2010): 1382-1388. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 22 July 2011.

Freni, Gabriele, Giorgio Mannina, and Gaspare Viviani. "Assessment of the integrated urban water quality model complexity through identifiability analysis." Water Research 45.1 (2011): 37-50. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 22 July 2011

Suárez, J., and J. Puertas. "Determination of COD, BOD, and suspended solids loads during combined sewer overflow (CSO) events in some combined catchments in Spain." Ecological Engineering 24.3 (2005): 199-217. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 22 July 2011.

Kim, Geonha, Joonghyun Yur, and Jeongkon Kim. "Diffuse pollution loading from urban stormwater runoff in Daejeon city, Korea." Journal of Environmental Management 85.1 (2007): 9-16. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 22 July 2011.

M. T. Lee, et al. "Mitigating the environmental impacts of combined sewer overflow by web-based share-vision modelling." Civil Engineering & Environmental Systems 20.4 (2003): 213. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 22 July 2011.

"ISDH: Diseases Involving Sewage." IN.gov. Web. 27 July 2011.

"Jefferson County Quick Facts from the US Census Bureau." U.S. Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts. 03 June 2011. Web. 27 July 2011

Khursheed, Anwar, and A.A. Kazmi. "Retrospective of ecological approaches to excess sludge reduction." Water Research 45.15 (2011): 4287-4310. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 27 July 2011.

McKenzie, Caigan. "CDC Looks at Links Between Wastewater and Dissease." CDC.gov. The Center for Disease Control. Web. 27 July 2011.

"MSD History." Welcome to MSD. 19 Oct. 2010. Web. 27 July 2011

Olmsted, Frederick Law. "Yosemite and the Mariposa Grove: A Preliminary Report."Yosemite Online. 1865. Web. 27 July 2011.

Water Quality Status Report. Rep. Limno-Tech, Inc., 28 Feb. 2007. Web. 20 June 2011.

 Wolfe, Bill. "Cherokee Park Louisville: Nature's Treasure Around Every Bend." Hello Louisville. 26 Mar. 2010. Web. 20 June 2011.