> - - - -> > IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES> > August 24, 2007> For immediate release> > NOTE TO EDITORS: A power outage at the Wallace Building all day> Thursday prevented EcoNewsWire from being distributed on its normal day> and time.> > > 1. DNR issues boil order for Ottumwa> 2. DNR issues boil order for Bacon Addition in Jones County> 3. Drinking water warning issued to Timber Ridge Mobile Home Park> south of Shellsburg > 4. DNR lifts boil order for Poweshiek Rural Water customers in> Benton County> 5. Livestock producers - stop manure runoff from reaching water> near you> 6. DNR revokes Armstrong water operator’s certification> 7. Additional rainfall leads to more wastewater bypasses> > DNR ISSUES BOIL ORDER FOR OTTUMWA> > MEDIA CONTACT: Kevin Baskins at (515) 281-8395> > OTTUMWA - A boil order has been issued for the city of Ottumwa after> torrential rains Thursday evening and early Friday morning caused> flooding at the water treatment plant.> > The heavy precipitation caused a combination of flood water and backed> up sewage water to flood into the basement of the facility ruining> pumps. Motors on the pumps were undergoing emergency repairs Friday.> > “Right now, the key issue is maintaining water pressure through the> distribution system,” said Paul Brandt of the DNR’s field office in> Washington.> > It was estimated Friday morning that Ottumwa’s water supply could be> down 24 to 36 hours. The city of Ottumwa has approximately 25,000> residents.> > If the water pressure falls too low before the pumps can go back> online, the entire system will have to be flushed and sanitized prior to> the boil order being lifted. As of Friday morning, the city had a supply> of 500,000 gallons of treated water in storage that could be used to try> and maintain pressure in the system. > > By Friday morning, fresh water was being hauled to the hospital and> care facilities and the Red Cross was on the scene to provide bottled> water. Portable toilets were also being placed at various locations> throughout the city.> > # # #> > DNR ISSUES BOIL ORDER FOR BACON ADDITION IN JONES COUNTY> > MEDIA CONTACT: Mike Wade at (563) 927-2640. > > MONTICELLO - The DNR has issued a boil order for Bacon Addition, a> subdivision west of Monticello in Jones County.> > The order was issued Friday morning after routine water testing showed> bacteria levels above the maximum contaminant level in August. Testing> in July showed somewhat elevated bacteria levels.> > Boiling destroys bacteria present in the water. Water should be brought> to a boil, boiled one minute and then allowed to cool before using. More> information on disinfecting water is available on the EPA Safe Drinking> Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.> > All residents are being notified by phone or by hand delivery. They> will also be notified when test results show that the water is safe to> drink and no longer has to be boiled.> > The City of Monticello will shock chlorinate the distribution system> Friday night and install a disinfection system this weekend. > > Writer: Karen Grimes> > # # #> > DRINKING WATER WARNING ISSUED TO TIMBER RIDGE MOBILE HOME PARK SOUTH OF> SHELLSBURG > > MEDIA CONTACT: Mike Wade at (563) 927-2640. > > SHELLSBURG - The DNR told residents of the Timber Ridge Mobile Home> Park in Benton County that infants under six months old should not be> drinking the water and it should not be used to prepare infant formula> or juices. > > The water should not be boiled, since boiling leaves nitrite behind as> the water evaporates. > > The DNR issued the warning after test results received Aug. 24 showed> elevated nitrite levels in the drinking water supply, almost double the> maximum contaminant level of 1.0 mg./L. Nitrite in drinking water is a> serious health concern for infants, but children older than six months> and adults can drink the tap water, because they process the nitrite> differently. > > Pregnant women and people with health problems may want to contact> their doctors. > > The mobile home park has notified residents and is flushing the water> lines and adding chlorine. Residents will also be notified when the> warning has been lifted. > > The nitrite is formed when bacteria in the water distribution system> convert ammonia in the water supply to nitrite. It is more likely to> occur during hot weather.> > The nitrite is not related to recent rains or to agricultural> activities. > > Writer: Karen Grimes> > # # #> > DNR LIFTS BOIL ORDER FOR POWESHIEK RURAL WATER CUSTOMERS IN BENTON> COUNTY> > MEDIA CONTACTS: Mike Wade at DNR at (563) 927-2640> > BENTON COUNTY - The DNR has lifted a boil order for all Benton County> customers of the Poweshiek Rural Water Supply.> > Laboratory test results came back clean for bacteria, allowing the DNR> to lift the boil order that had been in effect since Tuesday. Water> pressure has also been restored.> > The order affected the cities of Van Horne and Norway, along with rural> customers.> > Writer: Jessie Brown> # # #> > LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS - STOP MANURE RUNOFF FROM REACHING WATER NEAR YOU> > MEDIA CONTACT: Eric Wiklund at (641) 424-4073 for confinements; Tom> McCarthy at (563) 927-2640 for open feedlots. > > DES MOINES - Livestock producers can prevent or reduce damage from> manure discharges despite heavy rainfalls that may have stressed manure> storage facilities. > > Unlike municipalities that take in lots of rainfall and discharge very> dilute wastewater, livestock facilities have a concentrated manure> product that may result in fish kills or stress to aquatic organisms. > > Although their approach may differ, both open feedlot and confinement> producers can prevent water quality problems by stopping manure runoff> from entering Iowa streams. > > Confinement producers should call their local DNR field office for> assistance and options if their manure storage structure is nearly full.> > > “When saturated soils and heavy rainfall prevent producers from land> applying manure, DNR staff can provide options and OK alternative> application,” said Eric Wiklund, an environmental specialist in Mason> City. “Often that involves transferring the manure to another nearby> storage facility or land applying at agronomic rates that will not cause> the manure to infiltrate,” he said. > > Producers should not pump the manure to the ground or a nearby field,> he said. And, they should not let the structure overflow. Producers> should call the DNR field office if manure levels are approaching one> foot below the top of a concrete or steel structure, or within two feet> of the top of an earthen berm. > > Wiklund said that several confinement producers have caused large fish> kills or pollution events in the past by pumping manure to a field. The> manure discharged directly to a stream or infiltrated a tile line that> discharged to a stream, resulting in water quality violations and> penalties for the producer. > > Open feedlots are the single largest source of fish kills in Iowa,> causing 22 percent of human-caused fish kills from 1995 to 2006. Manure> runoff is more likely with open feedlots than confinements, because> confinement operations are not allowed to discharge or stockpile manure.> Even small lots with fewer than 100 animals can cause a problem if not> managed carefully, said Tom McCarthy, a DNR environmental specialist in> Manchester. > > He recommends feedlot owners walk below their feedlot after every> rainfall or freeze-thaw cycle to ensure runoff is not entering Iowa> streams, rivers or lakes.> > “Open feedlot owners with runoff control structures should check> those basins frequently while it’s raining,” said Ken Hessenius,> supervisor of the Spencer DNR field office. “Those basins can fill up> fast and can be breached if they overflow.”> > Producers should call a field office if it looks like the basin will> overflow.> > McCarthy also encourages open feedlot producers to check the locations> of their stockpiles. They should make sure that solids are kept off of> steep slopes (more than three percent slope), out of grassed waterways> or where water pools. Open feedlot stockpiles should also be kept at> least 800 feet away from a high quality water resource; 400 feet away> from other environmentally sensitive areas; and 200 feet away from a> terrace tile inlet or surface tile inlet. > > Field offices are listed on the DNR Web site at> www.iowadnr.gov/fo/index.html. Or, call one of the offices listed> below:> * Northeast Iowa, Manchester, (563) 927-2640.> * North Central Iowa, Mason City, (641) 424-4073.> * Northwest Iowa, Spencer, (712) 262-4177.> * Southwest Iowa, Atlantic, (712) 243-1934.> * South Central Iowa, Des Moines, (515) 725-0268.> * Southeast Iowa, Washington, (319) 653-2135.> > Producers often ask about the effects of municipal bypasses, but DNR> fish kill records indicate that less than three percent of fish kills> can be traced to wastewater bypasses. Untreated wastewater from> municipalities is fairly dilute. Most municipal bypasses occur when> rainfall is heavy and stream flows are high, keeping recreational users> out of the stream and further diluting the wastewater. > > Writer: Karen Grimes> > # # #> > DNR REVOKES ARMSTRONG WATER OPERATOR’S CERTIFICATION> > MEDIA CONTACT: Julie Sievers at (712) 260-0625.> > ARMSTRONG - The DNR has revoked the certification of the person> formerly responsible for the drinking water and wastewater treatment> systems in Armstrong.> > In a legal consent order with the DNR, operator Adam Anderson admitted> to falsifying data. He agreed to surrender his certification for water> treatment and distribution, and to not reapply for water or wastewater> certification in Iowa. He was not certified for wastewater.> > The revocation comes after a citizen reported to the DNR that the city> was not using chlorine to disinfect its drinking water system. A DNR> investigation verified the claim and found that Anderson had falsely> reported to the DNR that he was chlorinating the system and doing other> required testing. Anderson is no longer employed by the City of> Armstrong, which is located in Emmet County. > > “We revoked the operator’s certification because he was putting the> drinking water and people of Armstrong at an extreme risk,” said Julie> Sievers, a DNR environmental specialist based out of Storm Lake.> “Operators around the state need to know that we take these types> of events very seriously, and we do investigate water systems. The City> of Armstrong has hired a certified operator and the city’s water is> safe to drink.”> > The DNR requires water supplies and wastewater treatment facilities to> submit a monthly operating report, detailing how they have met or failed> to meet treatment requirements.> > “If you notice something has changed in your drinking water, call> your city officials. If you don’t get a satisfactory answer from the> city, we encourage Iowans to call their local DNR field office,”> Sievers said.> > The DNR has the ability to suspend and revoke certificates for water> supply and wastewater operators.> > Writer: Jessie Brown> > # # #> > ADDITIONAL RAINFALL LEADS TO MORE WASTEWATER BYPASSES > > NOTE TO EDITORS: This is an update to the bypass news releases that> were issued August 20, 21 and 22.> > MEDIA CONTACT: Kevin Baskins at (515) 281-8395.> > DES MOINES - With heavy rain continuing to fall across the state, the> following cities have reported wastewater bypasses:> > Black Hawk County> Cedar Falls: The City of Cedar Falls is bypassing from its wastewater> treatment plant and its Park Drive lift station. A detention pond at the> plant has filled due to heavy rain, and the city is bypassing from the> pond into a wooded area at a rate of 100 gallons per minute. The city is> bypassing to another wooded area from the lift station at a rate of> 1,000 gallons per hour. The basin bypass began Thursday at 11:45, while> the lift station bypass began at 4:30 a.m. Friday. The city is cleaning> up solids around the lift station. > > Cedar Falls is also bypassing untreated wastewater from a manhole in> the 1200 block of Lilac Street. The city is pumping the wastewater> directly into the storm sewer, which flows into the Cedar River. This> bypass began at 8:00 a.m. Friday and the city reports it will stop by> 2:00 p.m. Friday.> > Bremer County> Readlyn: The City of Readlyn is bypassing from its wastewater treatment> plant to a road ditch along 240th Street and from a lift station at the> intersection of County Road V49 and First Street. The bypasses are> reaching the Wapsipinicon River after flowing through a few miles of the> ditch. This is in addition to bypasses reported earlier in the week.> > Cherokee County> Cherokee: The City of Cherokee bypassed 54,000 gallons of untreated> wastewater from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday from a manhole at the> intersection of Euclid and Willow. The bypass reached the Little Sioux> River. The city bypassed an additional 63,000 gallons from the same> location from 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Thursday.> > Clarke County> Murray: The City of Murray bypassed untreated wastewater from 9:00 p.m.> Thursday to 5:30 a.m. Friday. Wastewater from the north lift station> bypassed to an unnamed tributary of Squaw Creek, while a bypass from the> south lift station reached an unnamed tributary of East Long Creek.> > Clinton County> Clinton: The City of Clinton has reported a storm water permit bypass> at its ML Kapp Generating Station. Heavy rains caused the coal pile at> the station to wash out, covering storm sewer drains. Storm water runoff> diverted to Mill Creek and the Mississippi River, beginning at 12:30> p.m. Thursday.> > Clinton: The Equistar facility near Clinton bypassed an unknown amount> of partially treated process water and storm water to a county road> ditch Thursday. A lagoon at the facility holds process wastewater and> storm water runoff from the plant site. Heavy rain caused the lagoon to> overflow from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Process water is wastewater> generated from manufacturing and industrial processes.> > Des Moines County> Burlington: The City of Burlington bypassed 6,100 gallons of untreated> wastewater to the Mississippi River from 8:30 to 9:45 Wednesday evening.> The city bypassed from its Brooks Street Flow Regulating Chamber to the> Mississippi River and has notified downstream water users of the bypass.> The city began bypassing partially treated wastewater at 3:00 a.m.> Friday from its 14th Street lift station. That bypass is ongoing.> > Middletown: The Iowa Army Ammunition Plant began bypassing partially> treated wastewater to Brush Creek beginning at 7 a.m. Friday. The plant> is discharging at a rate of 35 to 50 gallons per minute. The bypass is> ongoing.> > Dubuque County> Dubuque: The City of Dubuque bypassed 4,000 gallons of untreated> wastewater from Key Way Dr. to Catfish Creek from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00> p.m. Wednesday.> > Grundy County> Wellsburg: The City of Wellsburg stopped bypassing at 7 p.m. Thursday.> This is an update to a previously reported bypass.> > Hardin County> Ackley: The City of Ackley is discharging partially treated wastewater> to South Beaver Creek from a lagoon.> > Iowa Falls: The City of Iowa Falls has been bypassing to the Iowa River> since Aug. 18. The amount bypassed is still unknown.> > Marion County> Knoxville: The City of Knoxville bypassed one million gallons of> wastewater from a basin at its treatment plant and another 350,000> gallons from three points in its sewage collection system. The bypass to> Competine Creek began Thursday and ended Friday.> > Montgomery County> Stanton: The City of Stanton began bypassing untreated wastewater from> its main lift station to the Tarkio River at 9 p.m. Thursday. The bypass> is ongoing.> > Muscatine County> West Liberty: The City of West Liberty began bypassing untreated> wastewater from its treatment plant wet well to Wapsinonoc Creek at 1> p.m. Thursday.> > Scott County> Eldridge: The City of Eldridge bypassed 2,000 gallons of wastewater> from its Price Street Lift Station to a field from 3:30 a.m. to 4:00> a.m. Thursday.> > Wapello County> Eddyville: Chamness Technology will pump partially treated wastewater> from a lagoon at its Eddyville compost facility Friday. Following heavy> rains, the lagoon is about to overflow. Lowering the level of the lagoon> will prevent damage to the structure. Chamness Technology plans to> bypass until rain stops in the area. The bypass to farm fields is> expected to eventually reach Palestine Creek and the Des Moines River.> > Ottumwa: The City of Ottumwa began bypassing untreated wastewater from> various sewers to the Des Moines River Thursday night. The city is> pumping from these sewers to prevent river water from backing up into> its sewer system, which has combined storm and sanitary sewers, and into> basements.> > Washington County> Riverside: The City of Riverside bypassed 15,000 gallons of untreated> wastewater for five minutes Friday morning. Staff at the city’s> wastewater treatment plant was performing maintenance when problems led> to an accidental bypass to a drainage ditch at 5:15 a.m. The ditch> eventually discharges to the English River.> > -30-> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp Sign up to receive Sierra Club Insider, the flagship e-newsletter. Sent out twice a month, it features the Club's latest news and activities. Subscribe and view recent editions at http://www.sierraclub.org/insider/