UPDATE: The Lake Alert for Lake Estelle, Lake Rowena and Lake Sue has been lifted. the lake alert and posted signs will be removed. Please resume all normal water activities associated with this lake.
The City of Orlando’s Stormwater Division has issued a Lake Alert for Lake Estelle and Lake Rowena, located on the southern edge of Winter Park, due to a concern of possible elevated E. coli counts due to a sanitary sewer overflow this weekend.
A severe thunderstorm caused a power outage in the area this weekend, which resulted in the recently-completed lift station at North Mills Avenue and Lake Shore Drive shutting down. The lift station discharged roughly 350,000 gallons of sanitary waste into the nearby lakes, which are connected to each other, as well as nearby Lake Formosa, which was not included in the Lake Alert at this time. Lake Sue, however, as it is downstream from the two, is affected by the alert.
Power was restored the same day and City Water Reclamation crews were on-site to clean up the spill once power was reconnected and to the excess waste to an alternate lift station.
The City is advising that water contact activities associated with Lake Estelle, Lake Rowena and Lake Sue cease until further notice, including irrigation.
City Stormwater personnel will collect water samples on a routine basis. Once E. coli counts drop to acceptable State Water Quality Standards, the Lake Alert Hotline number and the City’s Lake Alert website will be updated.
Would it be possible to link the city’s lake alert site to this article?