Health officials: Winton Lake reopened after sewage leak stopped, testing levels found to be OK

ASHLEY. ALL RIGHT. ALISON, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, A POPULAR LAKE IS CLOSED FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND DUE TO A SEWAGE LEAK. THAT’S RIGHT. IT WAS THE FIRST REPORTED. IT WAS FIRST REPORTED EARLIER THIS WEEK, ABOUT A MILE NORTH OF THE LAKE. AND NOW, AS WLWT NEWS FIVE’S RACHEL WHALEN FOUND OUT, THE LAKE IS LIKELY TO STAY CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY. THE BOATHOUSE HERE ON WINTON LAKE IS SILENT, AND NOT JUST BECAUSE IT’S A CHILLY DAY FOR MAY, BUT GREAT PARKS HAS CLOSED ALL RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES ON THE LAKE. THEY SAY OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION. WE MET BRITTANY DILLARD AND HER DOG, MR. BRICKS, ON THEIR DAILY WALK AROUND WINTON LAKE. HE LOVES THE BIRD WATCH AND LOOK AT THE BIRDS AND HOP ON PEOPLE. THE PAIR WAS DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THE LAKE WILL REMAIN CLOSED THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. I SEE IT KEPT A LOT OF PEOPLE AWAY BECAUSE NORMALLY AT THIS TIME OF DAY IT’S IT’S NORMALLY A LOT MORE OF A CROWD OUT HERE, JUST PEOPLE OUT FISHING AND JUST GOING ON LONG WALKS. SO A SPOKESPERSON FROM THE METROPOLITAN SEWAGE DISTRICT SAYS A SEWAGE DISCHARGE WAS REPORTED EARLIER THIS WEEK. IT ALL STEMS FROM A PARTIAL BLOCKAGE OF ROOTS AND WET WIPES ABOUT A MILE NORTH OF THE LAKE. I’M TOLD THE SEWERS ARE NOW OPEN AND RUNNING, BUT GREAT PARKS IS STILL TAKING WATER SAMPLES JUST IN CASE. EVEN THOUGH THE STREAM THAT WAS IMPACTED AND FEEDS WHEN LAKE IS LOOKING BETTER. IT TAKES A WHILE FOR THE CONTAMINATION TO FLOW OUT OF WINTON LAKE. SO WHAT WE’RE DOING INSTEAD IS WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE WATER QUALITY TESTING. AND THEN ONCE THE STANDARDS ARE MET, THE LAKE WILL OPEN BACK UP. NOW, GREAT PARKS DOES WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WINTON WOODS PARK IS STILL OPEN THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. YOU CAN WALK AROUND THE LAKE, ENJOY THE CAMPGROUNDS OR THE NEWLY RENOVATED DISC GOLF COURSE. I’M REPORTING IN WINTON WOODS RACHEL WHELAN WLWT NEWS FIVE. WELL, WE ASKED GREAT PARKS WHEN THEY THINK THE LAKE WILL REOPEN. THEY SAID IT DEP