Why is Lake Ontario so dirty?

ASHBURN, VA

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CLIFF PESKIN

BabbleBee

285

I will not swim in Lake Ontario because of pollution, ideally it should be pristine. I've been told by a Toronto water engineer that after significant rainfall, enormous amounts of raw sewage flow directly into the Lake. Toronto does such a good job with its green spaces, shinny rinks and tennis courts, etc so why is there such little attention paid to the cleanliness of Lake Ontario?

Ontario / General Chit-Chat

MARK MCLEAN

Buzzer

I have spent a great deal of time in the lake. 30+ years of dinghy sailing can do that to you. I've seen my fair share of 'balloon fish' (floating condoms) but I have never been sick although I do have a freind who caught something in the niagara river and was in hospital for a few weeks.

BRIAN PERSAUD

BabbleBee

274

The sewage and storm drain systems are closely linked so when it rains the sewer overflows and goes into the storm system and goes in the lake...it was a short sighted design

CLIFF PESKIN

BabbleBee

285

@Brian Persaud totally. I think the city should prioritize a fix. It would be so nice if Lake Ontario was super clean. I guess the issue then becomes where the money for a fix would come from and therefore what Toronto services we could do without.