DES MOINES – The DNR received two reports of wastewater discharges this morning. An ongoing wastewater discharge is occurring in the city of Lake City in Calhoun County. A second wastewater discharge in DeWitt, Clinton County, stopped.
Lake City: Although it was working yesterday, Lake City wastewater treatment staff discovered Nov. 9 that the main pumping station had flooded. Due to electrical failure, untreated wastewater is discharging 101 gallons per minute to Lake Creek, a tributary of the North Raccoon River. The city is working to stop the discharge and divert wastewater to the city lagoon. DNR will continue to monitor the situation.
DeWitt: Grease build-up in a pumping station at W. 11th Street in DeWitt caused about 150,000 gallons of untreated wastewater to discharge to Silver Creek. City staff discovered the problem about 8 a.m. Wednesday, removed the grease and restored normal operations by 8:20 a.m., stopping the wastewater discharge.
The DNR recommends keeping children and pets away from the streams for at least 24 hours after the discharges end.