Overview

• A preliminary 1,400‑foot tunnel, 10–12 feet in diameter, would reroute flow before the existing gate and spread it within the tunnel to avert discharges, according to district engineers.
• The district estimates the project at about $20 million, with final design procurement targeted for 2027 and a hoped‑for completion in 2028 that officials acknowledge is aggressive.
• District leaders have scheduled a meeting with Cleveland Metroparks this month to discuss construction impacts within Edgewater Park.
• Edgewater recorded about 20 discharges over the past decade, including three this summer; a July 24 overflow sent E. coli from 4 to 4,840 CFU/100mL, prompting a no‑swim advisory that remains until all 10 test sites clear.
• The outfall dates to the 1880s and is outside the 2010 EPA consent decree; a prior $30 million idea to extend the pipe into Lake Erie was dropped, and officials warn stronger storms could increase overflow risks.