A flap gate at Edgewater Beach.

(Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District)

At a Glance

Visitors are warned to avoid the water. Exposure to the water could lead to numerous illnesses stemming from viruses, bacteria and parasites.

Swimmers near Cleveland may want to steer clear of a trio of beaches for a bit after storms caused raw sewage and stormwater to spill into Lake Erie.

Advisories posted at Edgewater, Huntington and Villa Angela beaches warn visitors to avoid the water. The advisories come after storms swept through the area on Tuesday.

An advisory posted early Wednesday at Edgewater Beach, just west of downtown Cleveland, warns visitors to and any debris that may have washed up on the beach, according to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD). Children, the elderly and those in poor health are particularly vulnerable, the notice says. Exposure to can lead to numerous illnesses stemming from viruses, bacteria and parasites.

The U.S. Geological Survey also at Huntington Beach, located 12 miles farther west from Edgewater and Villa Angela Beach, located in eastern Cleveland.

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Sewage overflows in the region have improved over the years, according to NEORSD. Since 1972, yearly combined sewer overflows (CSOs) have decreased from 9 billion gallons to 4.5 billion gallons. At Edgewater Beach, overflows into Lake Erie occurred 40 to 50 times per year during the 1970s but improvements to aging infrastructure has helped decrease the frequency of spills.

“Our region has experienced many strong storms in recent years, an ongoing trend that we will see more of in the future,” said Frank Greenland, director of watershed programs. “CSOs, along with flooding and stream bank erosion, all impact water quality throughout our region. Fortunately, the Sewer District is developing a regional solution to manage these sizable issues and protect our region’s greatest natural resource: Lake Erie."

Greenland is referring to , a 25-year, $3 billion capital improvement plan that was initiated in 2010. It includes the construction of large storage tunnels that will help reduce sewage spills. Two such tunnels are already operational and another three are under construction.