Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Environmental Services Division
 
For Immediate Release                                                           
July 22, 2008
 
POWER OUTAGES RESULT IN WASTEWATER BYPASSES
 
MEDIA CONTACT: Jim Sievers or Dennis Ostwinkle at (319) 653-2135 or [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask] 
 
WASHINGTON—Three cities reported wastewater bypasses to the DNR after storms knocked out power in Burlington, Muscatine and Buffalo.
 
The city of Burlington had two bypasses, the first one occurring early Saturday when power failed at the main treatment plant. An estimated 600,000 gallons of untreated wastewater were released to the Mississippi River between 5:15 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. 
 
A second bypass occurred when a city-wide power outage hit Burlington Monday between 6:30 a.m. and 9:50 a.m. An estimated million gallons of untreated wastewater were released to the Mississippi River before the power was restored. 
 
The Burlington wastewater treatment plant has dual power feeds so that when one fails, the second one can provide electricity to the plant. The city is committed to updating the system by 2010, to prevent the plant from bypassing when a widespread power failure occurs.
 
“It’s important for cities and towns to plan for emergencies, including power outages,” said Chuck Corell, head of the DNR’s water quality bureau. 
 
The city of Muscatine also bypassed on Monday when an older pumping station failed. An unknown amount of untreated wastewater was released to the Mississippi River between 5:30 a.m. and noon. 
 
The city of Buffalo in Scott County began bypassing at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning after a windstorm on Monday knocked out power to the lift station on Front Street. Between 500 and 1,000 gallons of untreated wastewater has been released into an unnamed tributary to the Mississippi River, and the bypass is still in progress and is expected to stop sometime today. 
 
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