Iowa DNR News
Environmental Services Division
For immediate release
June 26, 2007
SEVERE STORMS EXHAUST SEWER SYSTEMS ACROSS IOWA; UPDATED AREA DISCHARGES
MEDIA CONTACT: Brent Earley (Washington) at 319-653-2135, Tom McCarthy
(Manchester) at 563-927-2640, Kurt Krieger (Mason City) at 641-424-4073 or
Kevin Baskins (Des Moines) at 515-281-8395.
NOTE TO EDITORS: This is an update to the DNR's previously reported bypasses
in Burlington, Coralville, Fairfield, Iowa City, Lonetree, Wapello,
Washington, West Branch and West Liberty. The cities of Belle Plaine,
Burlington, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Wellsburg, Williams and Williamsburg
reported discharges to DNR officials as of Tuesday afternoon.
DES MOINES – Parts of Iowa were burdened with waste and rain water
discharges after a round of severe storms invaded the area Friday and
Saturday.
The following areas reported bypasses as of Tuesday afternoon.
Benton County
Belle Plaine: More than ten inches of rain fell in the city of Belle Plaine
Friday and Saturday, causing two wastewater wells to overflow. Approximately
1.7 million gallons of a waste and storm water mixture discharged into
Minnow Creek, which empties into the Iowa River. The bypass occurred
Saturday morning around 2 a.m. and had stopped by 11 a.m. Sunday.
Black Hawk County
Cedar Falls: Infiltration problems at a wastewater lift station in Cedar
Falls are being blamed for a discharge of about 22,000 gallons to a wooded
area. At 8 p.m. Friday evening, the lift station at 1500 E. Ave. N.W. in
Cedar Falls overflowed to a nearby wooded area and parking lot. Two inches
of rain in the area contributed to the problems. The city limed the parking
lot later Saturday. The city reported the discharge was limited to the
wooded area and did not reach a stream.
Des Moines County
Burlington: Parts of downtown Burlington experienced flash flooding after
its storm sewer system spilled out Saturday afternoon. The storm water
flowed through downtown Burlington eventually reaching the Mississippi
River.
Also, at 4 p.m. Saturday, DNR officials received reports of four separate
wastewater back-ups into residential basements caused by heavy rainfall
overcoming the sanitary sewer system.
On Monday, the city reported wastewater discharges totaled more than 3.5
million gallons after Friday, Saturday and Sunday rain storms. The city
plans to build holding tanks later in 2007 to keep wastewater out of the
storm sewers.
Grundy County
Wellsburg: More than 141,000 gallons of mostly storm water bypassed the city
of Wellsburg’s lift station Friday night after intense storms produced large
amounts of rain. More than 3.5 inches of rain fell within one hour, causing
a bottleneck at the station. Despite maintenance work last month, two pumps
at the station could not manage the sudden volume. The bypass occurred at 6
p.m. Friday and was finished by 10 p.m. that night.
Hamilton County
Williams: Three inches of rain fell in under two hours Friday night in
Williams, contributing to a sanitary sewer overflow. The city reports
approximately 171,000 gallons of liquid was discharged when the sewer backed
up behind the city’s lagoon system lift station. A nearby manhole was used
to discharge the water to the county’s drainage ditch.
Iowa County
Williamsburg: Approximately 50,000 gallons of partially-treated and
untreated wastewater bypassed from two locations Friday after heavy rain hit
the area. More than 8 inches fell over Thursday, Friday and Saturday, which
in turn forced a discharge from the city’s collection system and treatment
plant. The discharge continued through Tuesday, with the bypass flowing into
a storm water basin. The wastewater released into the basin is receiving
primary treatment from the Williamsburg Treatment Plant. A portion of the
discharge reached Gail and Old Man’s Creek.
Linn County
Cedar Rapids: A sanitary sewer overflowed in Cedar Rapids Friday night due
to a possible backup in the storm water collection system. The overflow
occurred at a manhole pump near 1500 E. Ave. N.W., . Between 8:40 p.m.
Friday – 1 a.m. Saturday morning, approximately 120,000 gallons of rainwater
and raw sewage discharged underground before emptying into the Cedar River.
Local authorities believe the bypass was mainly storm water, and are
evaluating whether to install a check valve to prevent storm water from
reaching the sanitary sewer.
Bypasses can occur when heavy rain overloads wastewater collection systems,
which are the underground pipes that carry sewage to a treatment plant. When
sewer pipes are overwhelmed, the excess rainwater and sewage have nowhere to
go. Cities bypass to lower the wastewater level in the collection system and
prevent backups into basements through floor drains. Although discharging
wastewater to a stream is not desirable, it does prevent a greater and more
immediate health risk in people’s homes.
The DNR is currently working with a number of wastewater facilities across
the state to upgrade systems and reduce the number of untreated sewage
discharges into surface water.
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