An estimated 700,000 gallons of waste water overflowed from a pumping station on Sisson Street into the Jones Falls.  There was no danger to the public because a screen flitered any macropollutants out before entering Jones Falls.  The overflow was the result of a malfunctioning automated switching system that controls electricity to the station’s pumps.  City officials are not sure of the exact cause of this malfunction, but think a design flaw contributed to water backing up in the station.  Public works employees opened a valve and allowed the waste water to flow out so that the station would not be damaged.
A spokesman for the Baltimore City Department of Public Works, Kurt Kocher, said this type of overlfow is uncommon.

An estimated 700,000 gallons of waste water overflowed from the pumping station into the Jones Falls.  There was no “visible” pollution of the Jones Falls because the waste water was filtered of any macropollutants.  However, public notice of the overflow was posted along the Jones Falls.  The pumping station was being refurbished.