Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Environmental Services Division

For Immediate Release                                                 
   August 18, 2007

HEAVY RAIN CAUSES SEWAGE OVERFLOW AT WEST LAKE OKOBOJI

SPIRIT LAKE – Heavy rain that dumped more than six inches rain over
the Great Lakes area early Saturday morning caused a sewage overflow on
the northwest side of West Lake Okoboji.

The Iowa Great Lake Sanitary District estimated that approximately 900
gallons of untreated wastewater to reach the lake near the boat ramp in
the area known as Lazy Lagoon. The heavy rain caused the system to
overflow from a manhole located at a pumping station.

The impact of the overflow to the lake is expected to minimal due to
the high dilution which would have occurred due to the heavy rain, said
Ken Hessenius, supervisor of the DNR field office in Spencer.

For more information, contact Ken Hessenius at 712-260-0926.

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