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Rains in eastern Iowa cause sewage overflows
REGISTER NEWS
REPORTS
July
18, 2007
Heavy
storms across eastern and northern Iowa overwhelmed several cities' sewer
systems, causing untreated sewage to be discharged into rivers and
streams.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources tracks these incidents
as they are reported and and follows up with the treatment plant to determine
problems and help them upgrade their systems.
The following communities
have reported bypasses to the DNR:
Burlington: An estimated 285,100 gallons of untreated
wastewater began overflowing from three of Burlington’s four sanitary sewers Tuesday morning and ended
up in the Mississippi River. Downstream water
supplies have been notified of the discharge.
Elma: The city began
bypassing at 6 a.m. Tuesday after heavy rain caused its treatment plant to
flood. The unknown amount of wastewater is entering Mead Creek,
which flows
to the Little Wapsipinicon River.
Fairfield: After receiving heavy rainfall Monday, the City
of Fairfield
began bypassing approximately 13,500 gallons of untreated wastewater from its
collection system to a pasture. From there it flowed into Crow
Creek.
Cedar Rapids: The City of
Cedar Rapids began bypassing untreated wastewater from
several discharge points to the Cedar River due
to flash flooding in the area Monday evening. Discharge totals are unknown.
West Liberty: West Liberty’s wastewater treatment plant is bypassing
diluted wastewater to a local tributary of the Cedar
River. After receiving more than two inches of rain Monday evening
into Tuesday morning, the treatment plant’s wet well is discharging to
Wapsinonoc Creek. Amounts remain unknown.
