Neighbors organize cleanup team for construction mess

.

Neighbors on the Bay are fed up with the Ghidorzi Companies--a contractor that has caused repeated plumes of muddy water into the bay, clouds of dust on windy days, insulation blowing about, and mud on the streets.

So two retired firefighters who live on the bay, Steve Vanko and Tom Ulrich, have formed a team--to clean up the next mess--and DELIVER THE DIRT to those responsible.


The first "action" came Dec. 19, when a large "trackout" of mud from Ghidorzi on Fish Hatchery Rd was noticed at 4:30 pm.  Probably more than a hundred pounds of mud, much of it in large clods, was spread about a block south of the construction entrance.

The "rapid response team" of three was ready to go by 7:00 pm, with one "backup" on call.  The rush was to get the mud before the blizzard started. But to our as surprise, Ghidorzi had already cleaned it up!

Possibly they saw me photographing, and beat us to it.  Or even better, perhaps they had a change of heart--after six months of pollution.

Pollution of Monona Bay by Ghidorzi Companies

.

Construction at the intersection of S Park St and Fish Hatchery Rd has caused repeated bouts of muddy plumes, litter, and dust pollution of Monona Bay.  The contractor is Ghidorzi Companies.

Despite complaints from neighbors, the problems have persisted for months.  Steve Vanko (right) and Tom Ulrich--retired firefighters who live on the bay--have obtained 160* signatures on a petition:

"I am a landowner, resident, or neighbor with an interest in Monona Bay.  I am concerned that activities at the Wingra Clinic construction site at 1102 S. Park Street, operated by Ghidorzi Companies, Inc., may have led to unnecessary pollution of Monona Bay, and I support action to ensure that the company fully complies with all applicable stormwater management and erosion control requirements."

Introducing Friends of Olin-Turville Park

.

This is a beautiful example of how encouraging cultural activities at a park can have many benefits. Neglected public spaces--even tiny greenways--can become places where neighbors connect.

Home projects for watershed health

.

I've been testing several projects people can do at home...

One-hour rain gardens for your sidewalk. Observe which side of your sidewalk the water runs to--and especially, where water pools. Then dig out the soil to well below the pavement level. Put in native plants adapted to sun or shade, as the spot requires. It's a good way to get started infiltrating rain--it takes only an hour, per square of sidewalk.

Rain gardens for your downspouts or driveway. Every downspout that currently sends water to the street needs a rain garden. Don't dump your responsibility onto the City! Rain gardens are beautiful, interesting places. This is one of the most important things you can do for your your lake and water supply--but a good rain garden takes several days to build. More info.

Mini-nursery. Plant a few natives in an unused shady spot where grass won't grow, or in a nearby stormwater channel. After they spread, share them with neighbors. Be the "Johnny Appleseed" of woodland plants.

Stop erosion in your neighborhood. Repair an eroding terrace. Plant shady bare areas with woodland plants. Build little dams in gullies.

Eradicate invasives in your yard or neighborhood. Eliminate plants like burdock, garlic mustard, or Japanese knotweed. More.

Get rain barrels (right) for your downspouts, and use them to water your garden.

Plant native perennials to increase biodiversity, and to reduce your area of sterile grass.

Reclaim your greenway as a mini-reserve. First, improve access by trimming branches or downed trees. Then mark a pathway. Pull invasives, and plant native plants. You might also create shelter for animals by making piles of branches, or provide water.

Beautify a forgotten public space--terrace, median, park, or stormwater channel. If it's not next to your house, it's best to involve neighbors, and consult with your neighborhood association or neighborhood garden group.

Terrace gardens create beauty and diversity in neighborhoods. The most important thing is to dig out the soil to well below the sidewalk level. That way, rainwater flows in from the sidewalk, turning the terrace into a rain garden. Leaves accumulate, enriching the soil.

Get kids outdoors with a neighborhood project, like watching where stormwater goes, or tracking wildlife.

Read "Childhood memories of our stream," by Craig Miller.

Plant a Christmas tree you can harvest--or use outdoors--in place of buying one. Or plant an understory tree on your terrace. Springtime is the best time to plant. More.

Turn yard waste into compost. Be a modern-day alchemist... turn brown into green! The City doesn't pick up yard waste anymore. With a composter in the back yard, you don't have to lug leaves to your terrace, or lug store bought bags of compost in. When you spread compost around your plants, they celebrate for several years. Video.

...by David Thompson.  Originally appeared on Save Our Stream.

Cattell Inc dumps concrete waste to stormsewer

Concrete wastewater is extremely alkaline.  It can cause fish kills upon reaching lakes or streams.

While concrete waste is tightly regulated in some countries, it receives little attention in Wisconsin.  Nevertheless, discharging concrete wastewater into the storm sewers is illegal in Madison.

On June 3, white stains from concrete work by Raymond P. Cattell, Inc., were observed running down the gutter towards a sewer opening near Frances St.   The stormsewer receiving the concrete waste probably empties to Monona Bay, a popular fishing location.

Future Barriques cafe on Park St caught in illegal pumping

Barriques is known for their distinctive cafes that also serve wine--at five locations in the Madison area.  A new store is being planned for 961 South Park St., where remodeling is underway.  It's at the corner of S. Park and Parr streets, less than a block from Monona Bay.  Environmentally, it's a sensitive location--Monona Bay is popular with fishermen.

On Wednesday morning a local resident noticed a crew pumping a large volume of cloudy water from inside the site being remodeled.  The water was flushed onto Parr St., where it flowed down the gutter and into a storm sewer, bound for Monona Bay.  The resident said he recognized the man supervising the pumping as one of the owners of Barriques.

Illegal pumping onto Parr St. from Barriques future location.

The resident notified DNR personnel, who then contacted Rick Wenta, Public Health and Environmental Protection, under the City's Health Department. 

Update 2/21, based on email from R. Wenta:
"Generally, water from inside a structure is considered waste water, which has to be discharged to the sanitary sewer. (There are some exceptions; foundation water is one example.)

There are no provisions for filtering, then pumping the waste to the storm sewer. Under the state plumbing code, a floor drain collects domestic wastewater which must be directed to the sanitary sewer.

Public Health Madison and Dane County is responsible for enforcing Madison General Ordinance 7.46 which states: it is illegal to discharge potentially polluting substances to the storm sewer."

Next, a truck for pumping septic systems drove onto the site and began work.  It wasn't clear weather their services had been previously planned by Barriques, or whether it was a response to the complaint.

That afternoon, Mr. Wenta inspected the scene of the illegal discharge.  When notified that the resident had photos of the illegal pumping, Wenta said he would forward the information to the City Attorney, and that the Health Department would press for a fine.

Toxic possibilities

What was in the water being pumped towards Monona Bay?

When I inspected the photos in photoshop, the water appeared cloudy and grey.

Click on photo to enlarge

Update 2/21: Mr. Wenta, who inspected the property after pumping ended, said he did not believe the cloudy water in the photo represented concrete slurry.

Neighbors are concerned about other toxic chemicals.  At least three shops were formerly located at the site...

• A car radiator shop--heavy metals, antifreeze
• An auto repair shop--oil, antifreeze, & other fluids
• A furniture store with furniture repair--paint stripper (very toxic,) paint thinners, & lead

The resident who blew the whistle was worried about another possibility--that Barriques was pumping the sludge from the bottom of a drain trap--a concrete pit usually found in the floor of a building of this type.  If so, that sludge could be contaminated with any of the toxins listed above.

Recently, Madison had a scare when toxic Chromium 6 (at very low levels) was found in the City's tapwater.   Several years ago, a well on the near East Side had to be permanently shut down, because of industrial contamination.  Concrete waste and wastewater contains significant amounts of Chromium 6.

Lessons from the incident at Barriques

• There may still be deposits of toxic chemicals lurking in old buildings.  Remodeling or demolitions must be done with care and with inspections.
• Contractors and business owners--remember, citizens are watching.  Madisonians care about their lakes.

Rawson Contractors pumps unfiltered muddy water into Monona Bay

Over the rainy weekend, I received a tip from a local resident that a stormwater project on Lowell St. had unprotected stormwater inlets.  This is a site of special concern, because it's just a few feet from Lake Monona.  So Monday afternoon, I looked at the site.

All but one of the stormwater inlets had been excavated--the remaining one was still unprotected, next to some very dirty pavement.  It's likely this inlet didn't lead directly to the lake, but rather to the unfinished excavations.

There were two excavations--the one closer to the lake (below) was being dewatered by two hoses...

The green hose led to a large black filter, as required by erosion regulations.  The blue hose led directly to the lake, where it was dumping unfiltered, muddy water into Monona Bay--in violation of regulations and in violation of the contract with the City.*

Shore of Monona Bay. The muddy water being pumped from the excavation (blue hose) is entering the lake near the concrete pipe.

On the scene of the violatiion.

Dirty street at end of day; the stormwater inlet was left unprotected over the rainy weekend.

The streets nearby were left quite dirty, despite rain forecast for tomorrow morning.

This mud dribbled on pavement indicates excavated mud was carried away in trucks that weren't sealed.  This violation means that mud was dribbled for miles, to be washed into the lakes during the next storm. Corner of Whittier & W. Lakeside.

Beautiful Monona Bay, and our Capitol City, deserve better treatment.

On the positive side, by the end of the work day, an inlet filter had been installed.

#     #     #

Link to all of the photos taken on Oct. 25, 2010.
Photos taken by a whistleblower early Oct. 25, showing inlet filters left unprotected over rainy weekend.  Yes, more people are getting involved.
This is one of four similar projects.  Details can be found here.

*  Here's the link to the project specs.  On page D-6 of the specs, it states that the contractor is aware that water pumped during dewatering operations has to be filtered, and gives detailed requirements.  Evidently, Rawson ignored these legal requirements that they had signed their name to.