Landscaping sites to help reduce sewage flow into Lake Erie

CLEVELAND (AP) — Officials in northeast Ohio have announced the first of several natural landscaping projects aimed at reducing sewage overflows into Lake Erie.

Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District officials unveiled three sites in Cleveland’s Slavic Village neighborhood this past week that will use natural landscaping rather than underground pipes to absorb rainwater. The Northeast Ohio Media Group reports the sites will feature a basin to collect rain water as well as much beds and vegetation.

The three landscaping sites are among 10 planned “green” projects that officials expect will cost $82 million.

They’re components of sewer district’s $3 billion effort to create underground storage tunnels to keep storm runoff from flooding sewers and sending untreated sewage into the lake.

The green sites are expected to be completed by 2019.