Nineteen communities have notified the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality in the past week that raw sewage would be dumped into waterways because of heavy rains and the rising groundwater table.

The DEQ typically prohibits such discharges.

Spokesman Brian McManus said they are allowed if a city can show there is no feasible alternative to the discharge or that it was unavoidable to prevent loss of life, personal injury or severe property damage.

The 19 towns are:
-Grand Island
-St. Paul
-Battle Creek
-Seward
-North Loup
-David City
-O'Neill
-Loup City
-Arnold
-Stromsburg
-Alexandria
-Scotia
-Nehawka
-Avoca
-St. Edward
-Elkhorn
-Schuyler
-Scribner
-Valparaiso