Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Environmental Services Division
For Immediate Release
January 9, 2009
DISCHARGE SENDS WASTEWATER TO EAST NISHNABOTNA RIVER
MEDIA CONTACT: Alison Manz at (712) 243-1934 or [log in to unmask]
ATLANTIC — A glitch at Atlantic Municipal Utilities Thursday night affected the city’s wastewater treatment system, leading to partially treated wastewater reaching the East Nishnabotna River.
The city does not know how much wastewater reached the river, but estimates it may have been around 400,000 gallons. The discharge may have begun around 7:30 p.m. Thursday, and the city stopped it at 6:45 a.m. Friday.
Normally, an alarm system at the treatment facility would notify city officials of a discharge, but the alarm also seems to have been affected by the glitch.
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