They're branding it a "sewage crisis" in the Great Lakes.

A new study has found that five cities -- including Buffalo -- dumped 41 billion gallons of untreated sewage and dirty storm water into the Great Lakes last year.

How much is 41 billion gallons? That's how much water flows over Niagara Falls in a 15-hour period.

Discharges happen when heavy rains overwhelm storm and sanitary sewers, as many local residents know firsthand. After torrential downpours, people are often discouraged from swimming in some local waterways.

"We want to be able to swim, and we're not going to take excuses anymore," said Julie O'Neill, executive director of Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper.

Solving the problem will cost communities along the Great Lakes $23.3 billion. Locally, the Buffalo Sewer Authority may have to spend as much as $500 million to eliminate all sewage overflows, according to the report, which was authored by the Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition.

Environmentalists and waterfront activists held a news conference Monday at the inner harbor.

"Our message today is very simple," said Jeff Skelding, the coalition's campaign director. "We need to stop dumping raw sewage into the Great Lakes."

Some local projects are already under way. For example, crews are working on an $18 million Hamburg Drain control facility to prevent feminine hygiene products, condoms and other debris from floating into the Commercial Slip -- one of the marquee attractions at the developing Canal Side project.

Federal funding for sewage improvements has dramatically increased in recent years, but speakers underscored the need for additional aid, including a national revolving loan fund that would help states assist localities with costly projects.

Investing in such initiatives can also help jump-start the economy, said Maria Lehman, a former Erie County public works commissioner who spoke on behalf of the American Society of Civil Engineers. The report released Monday estimated that every $1 billion invested in wastewater infrastructure creates at least 20,000 jobs.

Rep. Brian Higgins and State Sen. William T. Stachowski also attended the news conference to express their support for programs that help address sewage overflow issues.

Buffalo continues to negotiate a consent decree with the federal government for violations of the Clean Water Act tied to sewage overflows. Buffalo Sewer Authority General Manager David P. Comerford did not attend the news conference, nor had he seen the coalition's report. But he agreed that municipalities like Buffalo need financial help to pay for what he called "unfunded mandates."

Still, Comerford said he doesn't think it's fair to suggest that city sewage systems are malfunctioning.

"The system was designed to do exactly what it's supposed to do -- to overflow so it doesn't go into people's basements," Comerford told The Buffalo News. "The system is old, but it's doing its job."

The question, however, is what impact these sewage overflows have on fresh water systems. The Sewer Authority is performing a water quality study that is expected to be completed by next spring. Comerford said there is already documentation indicating that a lot of pollutants in the Great Lakes emanate from sources other than municipal sewer systems.

O'Neill praised city officials, saying she is "heartened by signals" coming from City Hall as it relates to implementing projects that embrace environment-friendly "green" components. Advocates encouraged property owners to do their part to help ease the problem. Installing rain barrels, fixing dripping faucets and using less water during heavy rainfalls can reduce the impact on local sewer systems.

bmeyer@buffnews.comnull