Cahokia Heights must make $30 million in fixes to its sanitary sewer system after the Metro East city failed to maintain it, according to a newly proposed settlement from the federal government and state.
The work will need to be completed or planned by 2035.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Justice and the state will also require the city to pay a $30,000 penalty under the proposal, which has been in negotiations for a couple of years.
The complaint against Cahokia Heights alleges the city discharged sewer water into nearby waters more than 300 times since November 2019 — which is a violation of the Clean Water Act. The city also released untreated sewage that ran into homes, yards, ditches and roads throughout the community.
“Cahokia Heights failed to maintain its aging sewer system, resulting in hundreds of illegal sanitary sewer overflow discharges that created public health risks and contaminated homes and the environment,” said David Uhlmann, with the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
Discharges of raw sewage and sewer overflows carry bacteria, viruses and other harmful organisms, according to the EPA.
An ongoing health study found residents have been exposed to bacteria and parasites from sewage backups and flooding. More than 40% of adults had the same stomach infection from a bacteria called H. pylori, the Belleville News-Democrat has reported.
A proposed consent decree would require the city to reduce the number of sanitary overflows from its sewer system by evaluating the condition and capacity of the system — and implementing measures that will require frequent cleaning and repairs to the system.
Under the first phase, the city will be required to clean the entire sewer system and determine the causes of the overflows. By 2029, Cahokia Heights must prepare a report that details the system’s deficiencies and repair or replace the sewer lines and defective manholes.
In the second phase, Cahokia Heights will need to investigate the remainder of the sewer system and plan its repair by 2035.
Under the proposed settlement, the city will be required to take on 80 projects, including building a new interceptor that reroutes wastewater flow that’s estimated to cost $13.5 million and scheduled to be built by 2028. Cahokia Heights will also be required to keep keeping the public informed of its work.
This proposal is a combination of construction and assessments already underway by the city and new projects.
Currently, the city is replacing various pump stations and sewer breaks funded by a nearly $10 million grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. It’s also repairing 3.5 miles of the town’s main sewer line on the south side of town.
The $30 million does not include funding stipulations, meaning the city could use state or federal dollars to help it complete the projects.
“The Consent Decree builds upon the good work that was started under the IEPA grant, and represents the City’s continued commitment to invest in our infrastructure and improve the lives of residents throughout Cahokia Heights for many years to come,” said Mayor Curtis McCall Sr.
The federal and state government filed the decree with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. It’s subject to a 60-day public comment period before final court approval.
This development comes as some residents in the areas of town hit hardest by sewage and flooding spills have said the city’s recent construction projects have not solved the problems — and in some cases made them worse.
Attorneys that represent some of the residents most impacted by the decades of decrepit infrastructure said while the settlement marks a step forward it falls short and provides an unreasonably long timeline.
"While this decree may offer some surface-level improvements, it does not provide the immediate, robust relief that this community needs and deserves,” said Nicole Nelson, one of the attorneys. “Residents have been living in these conditions for decades — many for their entire lives. They should not have to wait any longer to live in homes free from raw sewage and floodwaters."
This story has been updated with comments from lawyers representing city residents and information from city officials.
