Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Environmental Services Division

For Immediate Release
April 3, 2007

HEAVY RAINS OVERWHELM NORTHERN IOWA WASTEWATER SYSTEMS

MEDIA CONTACTS: Doug Hawker (Cedar Falls) and Jodi Jeanes (Arlington,
Asbury, Denver, Garnavillo, Oelwein) at (563) 927-2640; Paul Brandt
(West Liberty) at (319) 653-2135; Al Tompkins (New Hartford, Wellsburg)
at (641) 424-4073; Julie Sievers (Holstein) at (712) 732-8350.

DES MOINES -- Another storm system moved across the northern part of
Iowa Monday evening and early Tuesday, dropping heavy rainfall and
overwhelming wastewater systems.

The following communities have reported bypasses to the DNR:

Arlington (Fayette County)
About 3,000 gallons of wastewater bypassed from an Arlington manhole,
located near a lift station, to Brush Creek. The bypass lasted from 6:00
to 9:00 Tuesday morning.

Asbury (Dubuque County)
A mechanical failure in the Asbury wastewater treatment system sent
about 100,000 to 200,000 gallons of wastewater to Cloie Branch early
Tuesday morning.

Cedar Falls (Black Hawk County)
The City of Cedar Falls bypassed an unknown amount of wastewater from
its Park Drive lift station to the Cedar River beginning at 4:30 a.m.
Tuesday. The city will monitor the situation and plans to clean and
disinfect the area once the bypass ends.

Denver (Bremer County)
A bypass from a Denver lift station to Quarter Section Run began around
7 a.m. Tuesday, sending at least 5,000 gallons of wastewater to the
stream.

Garnavillo (Clayton County)
The City of Garnavillo bypassed about 5,000 gallons of wastewater from
a lift station to South Cedar Creek, beginning at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Holstein (Ida County)
Less than 1,000 gallons of wastewater bypassed from the City of
Holstein’s Main St. lift station to a road ditch from 2 a.m. to 6:15
a.m. Tuesday. The wastewater bypassed to a road ditch and has the
potential to reach an unnamed tributary of Silver Creek.

New Hartford (Butler County)
A lift station in New Hartford could not keep up with heavy rains and
bypassed about 18,000 gallons of untreated wastewater from 6 to 7 a.m.
Tuesday. The wastewater pumped from the lift station to a road ditch,
and the city will add lime to the area to disinfect.

Oelwein (Fayette County)
About 5,000 gallons of wastewater bypassed to Otter Creek in Oelwein
from 6 to 10 Tuesday morning following a hydraulic problem in the sewer
system.

Wellsburg (Grundy County)
The City of Wellsburg bypassed about 238,000 gallons of untreated
wastewater from a lift station to an unnamed tributary to South Beaver
Creek. The bypass lasted from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday.

West Liberty (Muscatine County)
Approximately 25,000 gallons of partially treated wastewater bypassed
to Wapsinonoc Creek from the City of West Liberty from 8 to 10 a.m.
Tuesday.


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