New York Times shines a light on Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs)

The New York Times has published a series of articles on water pollution in Americas waterways. The series, titled ‘Toxic Waters, recently turned its attention to a topic that hits close to home: combined sewer overflows.

This article details the threats to human health and water quality when stormwater runoff overwhelms local wastewater treatment systems. In the last three years alone, almost 10,000 local stormwater systems have violated the Clean Water Act by dumping untreated or partly treated sewage and other hazardous materials into Americas rivers and lakes - including some communities in the Twin Cities.

While FMR is working hard to make sure municipal stormwater management efforts protect our river and our communities from CSOs, we encourage you to read this article and the rest of the ‘Toxic Waters series to learn more about the challenges and opportunities facing our nations water resources.

Upcoming Events

Saturday, May 16, 2026 - 10:00am to 12:00pm
Along a Mississippi River backchannel, Otsego
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Nicollet Island, Minneapolis
Thursday, May 21, 2026 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area, Inver Grove Heights

Join us for Music for the Mississippi River 

Celebrate the Mississippi River and support FMR with Tina Schlieske and Molly Maher, May 30 at Dual Citizen Brewing in St. Paul.