Iowa DNR News
Environmental Services Division

For immediate release	Feb. 8, 2006

PETROLEUM PRODUCT FOUND IN SHELBY WATER, BUT WATER IS SAFE TO DRINK

SHELBY * The DNR is investigating a complaint about a petroleum smell in the
Shelby water system.

Water tests conducted by the city have shown petroleum levels were isolated 
to a
daycare center at 400 Station Street.

"Water should be safe to drink throughout the city," said Matt Rhodes, an
environmental specialist with the Atlantic DNR field office. "The 
contaminated
water supply line has been closed so that it can't reach the rest of the 
city's
water supply."

Rhodes added that the daycare has been moved to another location in town.

The DNR will conduct underground testing on Friday to locate the source of 
the
contamination.

For more information, contact Matt Rhodes at (712) 243-1934.

# # #

WASTEWATER BYPASS IN BURLINGTON

BURLINGTON * A wastewater bypass to the Mississippi River was discovered 
Tuesday
morning in Burlington after a screen in a pipe became plugged with debris.

Wastewater that would normally have gone into the sewage treatment plant 
flowed
out of the system and was released into the Mississippi River through a 
combined
sewer outflow. This is a system that is designed to protect the treatment 
plant
by combining sewage and storm water during rain storms.

The bypass was discovered at 8:30 Tuesday morning and city crews stopped the
bypass at 11:05 a.m. An estimated 20,000 gallons bypassed during that time. 
It
is unknown how much wastewater was discharged before the bypass was 
discovered.

For more information, contact Paul Brandt or Jim Sievers, at theWashington 
DNR
field office at (319) 653-2135..

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Karen G

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