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3/18/2026
WT Staff
 Drinking water questions? Give us a call at 877-52-WATER (877-529-2837), or email info@wtny.us
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 135 pm EDT
High snow load, fast melt and rainfall overwhelm combined sewer systems in March
NYS Emergency Spill Line - Report a Spill - 1-800-457-7362
Niagara Falls wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) reports the release of 46 million gallons of untreated wastewater into lower Niagara River in March 2026, the contaminant load lands in Lake Ontario, drinking water supply for Toronto and other Ontario cities. (See the pink tag on the front page WTNY.us map)
According to the US EPA, "In a combined sewer system, wastewater and stormwater flow through the same pipes. In dry weather, all wastewater flows to a wastewater treatment plant where it is treated before being discharged to a waterbody. During wet weather, stormwater can overwhelm the system. Permitted outfalls act as relief points during wet weather, discharging untreated or partially treated stormwater and wastewater into nearby waterbodies. These discharges are called CSOs."
Sean Costello is the Executive Director and General Counsel for Niagara Falls Water Board in New York. In a brief phone chat with WTNY.us this morning, Costello confirmed a number of factors combined, resulting in higher than normal CSO's this spring. Substantial snow pack accumulated over a longer winter season in 2025-26, with persistent cold temps maintaining that snow pack. A fast melt with rain on higher than normal snowpack overwhelmed the capacity of Niagara Falls WWTP last week, resulting in the release of untreated wastewater.
Niagara River flows north from the Falls into Lake Ontario, the last of the five Great Lakes, providing drinking water to many millions in the USA and Canada. Drinking Water Ontario reports 80% of Canada's capital province relies on the Great Lakes for drinking water. The Minister's Annual Report on Drinking Water for Ontario 2024 rates 99% of treated drinking water tests "Good", meeting at least 90% of Ontario health-based drinking water quality standards, and at least 90 percent the population was served by water treatment facilities that met all health-based standards.
Note: Source water quality determination is based on values calculated by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCME WQI).
See WT article, Aqua-Aerobic innovates a high capacity water treatment system filter to capture and contain forever chemicals, here.
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